Survival & Savagery
by Sonny13
Summary: Vala had been alone for far too long, living off the Earth and fighting every day just to stay alive. When a mysterious metal cave drops from the stars, she finds herself drawn to the new Sky People and their odd ways. She didn't know what it was like to have friends, not until she met Bellamy Blake. If only she could speak their language. Bellamy/OC
1. Hear You Laugh

**A/N: Hey guys, new story here. Hoping you like it, I think it's a new take on the Bellamy/OC niche. All spoken words in _italics_ are words spoken in Trigedasleng (which I researched incessantly to learn anyway). I've been sitting on this for a while, and I hope you like it as much as I do!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the 100 series.**

* * *

 _In your tears and in your blood,_

 _In your fire and in your flood,_

 _I hear you laugh, I heard you sing,_

 _"I wouldn't change a single thing."_

Till Kingdom Come – Coldplay

* * *

The earth was cool and damp under her calloused feet, the only sounds in the clearing were her quiet breaths and the noise her staff made as it sliced through the mid-morning air. She leapt gracefully from the ground, her dark, hastily braided hair swinging from her head as she flipped through the breeze, seeming to float on the air for longer than physically possible before she landed on the ground, feet pressing silently into the soil.

There was a snuffling noise from behind her, and knowing what it was, Vala smirked, twisting through the air, end of her staff landing inches away from her dear friend's neck. "Luk," she chastised the dog. He knew better than to sneak up on her when she was training.

Luk whined in the way he did so often, tongue lolling from his mouth, revealing his large canine teeth that glinted in the sunlight filtering through the tree tops. She bared her own teeth at him, growingly at him playfully. He snapped back at her, and her jeer turned into a proper grin.

" _Oh fine, you hairy mutt,"_ she told him, reaching into the bag sitting against the tree to pull a small slab of cooked meat from the pocket. " _Eat up. But don't expect any more until we make another kill."_

Luk was content with his treat, dropping to his belly, jaws working on the tender meat, quickly losing interest in her. She smiled down at her friend fondly, rolling her eyes before stepping back into the centre of the clearing.

She rolled her neck and stretched her arms in preparation, then picked her staff back up and began slicing it through the air in a series of complicated moves that had taken her years to perfect. She was just beginning to move into the harder part of her exercises – a thin sheen of sweat breaking out over her body, the kohl surrounding her eyes smearing – when there was a loud bang from above her.

Terrified, the woman spun around, yanking her knife from where it was strapped to her thigh, holding both it and her staff out in front of herself protectively. She noticed it a moment later, the large object floating from the sky, massive bits of fabric slowing it's descent.

Her eyes never left it, watching it warily as it dropped, finally coming to a stop only a good few miles from where she stood. Her first instinct was to check it out, and she already had her bag and staff in hand before she stopped to reconsider.

What if the clan got there first? She'd likely be killed on sight. Or what if it was a trick of the Mountain Men? Another scenario that would result in her death. She paused, leaning against a tree and staring in the direction the mysterious thing had landed.

Deciding that, ultimately, she'd rather assess the potential threat and go from there, she started off again, trying not to think about how she was too curious for her own good.

She was a stealth master, her bare feet making no noise on the ground as she slid through the dense forest, slipping between branches and hopping gracefully over logs. Her heart beat too quickly in her chest, from the nerves more than the exercise. She hoped she wasn't making a terrible decision.

Luk followed behind her, equally as quiet.

She wasn't sure if she believed in destiny, but to find Luk so soon after her banishment, well, how could it be anything but? He'd been the runt of his litter, and she found the others in his pack preparing to eat him when she intervened. She was only a child herself at the time, no older than ten, but she'd been well trained from the moment she knew how to put one foot in front of the other.

She'd fought his elders off, although it was no easy feat, and managed to escape up a tree with the pup, cradling him against her chest as she waited for his pack to lose interest. They were all each other had for so long, he was her family. He protected her while she slept, and she provided for them when she was awake. And, most of all, they were company, keeping either from going insane on the long winter nights when they weren't sure if they'd make it to see the sunrise.

" _Stay hidden_ ," she told her companion as they approached the large metal box from the sky after only a short hour of travel. " _Stay quiet_."

Luk licked her hanging hand once, turning and disappearing into the underbrush. Hearing the sound of screaming voices, she instantly shoved her staff into the sheath on her back, grabbing onto a low hanging branch and easily swinging up into the trees.

She moved from tree to tree with ease, almost completely silent as she got closer and closer to the floating box. Finally, people came into view.

They were young, younger than Vala at any rate. And they were dressed strangely. They had some kind of cotton pants and wool jumpers on, thick shoes and absolutely no sign of dirt on their faces. Their hair was well kept, and she couldn't find a hint of armour or even weaponry anywhere.

Deciding to wait and watch, she settled onto a thick branch towards the top of a large tree, leaning over the edge and peering down at the children.

She didn't understand what they were saying, and it took her a long moment to place the language. Finally, with a silent gasp of realisation, she recognised their native tongue was that of the enemy. But that didn't make any sense, how could the Mountain Men have sent them from the sky?

She'd been too young to learn the enemy's language when she was banished, but despite this, she could tell they were new to the ground. They stared at the trees like they'd never seen anything like them, which shouldn't have been possible. They laughed and squealed in pure joy, dancing around each other and stopping to inhale the smells every few moments.

She watched, unsure what they were saying, only some of their words making sense from what little she had picked up after so many years of trade. Soon enough a small group broke away, heading in her direction. She thought they might have discovered her, but was relieved when they walked right past the tree she was in. She frowned then, realising they were heading towards the mountain.

Didn't they know that would get them killed?

Even if she'd wanted to stop them, she wasn't sure what she could say that they would understand. And, though she wouldn't admit it, she was maybe slightly afraid they would attack first and ask questions later.

Night fell soon, but it felt like barely any time had passed for Vala. She relaxed on her perch, legs dangling from the branch as she turned her gaze up to the darkening sky, watching the stars with wonder she'd had all her life.

The sky people lit a large fire, and began cheering. They laughed and hollered, gathered around the heat as they enjoyed themselves. Vala didn't know what that was like. The closest she ever came to having fun was when she crushed Jobi nuts and mixed them with water, lying on the ground at night with Luk and watching as the stars above her seemed to dance.

She'd never had fun with actual _people_ before.

Her attention got caught when the games and cheering came to an abrupt stop, a single voice speaking out to the many, then another joined him. They seemed to be having some kind of argument. She wondered if a fist fight would break out, maybe provide her some entertainment, but unfortunately it didn't come to that.

Instead the crowd began to chant. The sounds loud and obnoxious. Their calls echoed through the night, and she hoped it didn't bring any unwanted guests...like her, she realised with a bitter smirk.

"Whatev-ever...the hell...we...w-want," she tried to mimic what they were saying. She wasn't sure what it meant, but it seemed to be important if they were all chanting it with such enthusiasm. "Whatever...the hell...we want," she tried again, growing in confidence. "Whatever the hell we want!" she finally said, grinning widely just as the heavens opened up, giving way to a torrential rain.

Vala sighed contently, leaning back in her seat and turning her face up to the pouring rain. Unfortunately, one of the children from the ground had the same idea, face turned up to feel the rain, and spotting her legs hanging off a tree.

"Hey!" a loud voice rang out, and she jumped, glancing down and realising he was speaking to her. She cursed herself for letting her guard down, slipping to her feet and swinging from the tree she was in, hoping he wouldn't follow her.

None of his people seemed to pay much attention as he moved away from the group, all having the time of their lives in the rain. Vala panicked, hopping to the next tree, hoping the further she got from the firelight, the less likely the boy was to find her.

"What're you doing up there?!" he yelled as he followed her. She froze in the tree she was in, hiding in the leaves. They were far enough away from his group that they couldn't overhear, but close enough that they could still see the light from the fire.

She considered waiting him out, hoping he'd lose interest, but he clearly thought she was one of his own. Just as she was trying to make up her mind, there was a growl from below. Vala gasped when she spied Luk snarling at the boy, half hidden behind a tree, but clearly worried for his companion's safety. The boy pulled out a gun, something that looked a lot like what the Mountain Men used, and aimed it at her dear friend.

Without a second thought she slid form the tree, letting herself drop to the forest floor. The boy jumped when he saw her appear in his view. The rain hadn't lasted long, it was just starting to let up, now only a light sprinkling, making it easier to see each other.

He wasn't as young as she had assumed. He was taller than her, probably about the same age. He had tan skin and freckles dotting his face. His dark hair was wet and clinging to his face. His eyes – she couldn't tell what colour in the dark – widened as he realised she was definitely _not_ part of his group.

"Luk," she snapped at the dog, one hand holding out her staff warningly, the other held out in the canine's direction placatingly.

"Who the hell are you?" the man with the gun demanded. "Where the _fuck_ did you come from?!"

She didn't know what he was saying. The words sounded like gibberish. She opened her mouth to reply, but closed it again, realising he wouldn't understand her either. She got an idea, standing from her crouch and meeting his eyes in the dark, the only way they could see each other was the light from the moon and the few luminescent plants clinging to the surrounding trees.

"Whatever the hell we want!" she chanted with a wince, holding her fist in the air like they had done, hoping it was in some way right.

The man stared at her for a beat before letting out a loud guffaw. She frowned, not sure what the response meant. He didn't lower his gun, eyes still trained on her like he expected her to attack. She was the first to admit that she was one hell of a fighter, but she liked to avoid conflict when possible, so she made a move that was either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.

Holding out her hand cautiously, her other one moved to slide her staff back into it's place at her back. He watched her warily, something like fascination in his gaze, along with indecision. He didn't know who she was, which was a start, and he wasn't sure how to handle her. He wasn't sure whether to let her live.

She always was good at reading people.

"Bellamy!" a voice from the fire shouted, and she didn't know what the word meant, but it made the man look over to his friends.

She wasn't sure what he'd decided to do, but she wasn't too keen to stick around and find out. Her feet were silent on the earth as she turned and legged it into the forest, throwing her hood over her head, Luk following close on her heels.

She didn't know who these Sky people were.

But she was going to find out.

* * *

She followed them. Of course she did. When she noticed the leader man walking away from his camp with another at his heels, several following him, she had a feeling something bad was going to happen.

She was stealthy, as always, sticking to the shadows and watching from a distance as they stopped in an empty field, the ground made from clay, muddy from the recent rain.

She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but the sinking feeling in her gut told her she had to stop something. She'd always followed her gut, her mother had called it her 'gift', and it hadn't steered her wrong yet.

She knew what she had been waiting for when the majority of the group jumped on a single boy, the boy crying out in either fear or pain, she wasn't sure which. She snapped into action. It didn't occur to her in the moment that maybe this man was a criminal, maybe he was being punished, and maybe she shouldn't have gotten involved.

All that she saw was how something was happening that he had clearly not consented to, and if there was one thing that riled her up and made her lose control of her actions, it was injustice.

" _Hey_!" she shouted loudly – merely echoing what the leader had said before to get her attention – diving out from where she was hiding, staff held out in front of her as she faced off against the group of males.

"You!" the leader man said accusingly, and the others stared at her with shock.

She thought for a brief second that maybe she could convince them she was one of their own, but she remembered how she looked. She didn't look like them. They were all soft curves and brushed hair, delicate clothes and clean skin.

She was wearing a leather tunic, thick enough to protect her vital organs, but thin enough that she could move. Her hair was long, tied back in messy braids that were only half complete, different trinkets weaved into the dark colour. A feather hung beside her face and shells ran down a thick braid at the back of her head.

Her skin was tan, but darker since it was smudged with dirt and mud. Her eyes were surrounded by heavy smears of kohl, lines running down her cheeks, signifying her warrior status. And, of course, they had to have noticed the thick scar running from her temple down over her eye to the edge of her cheekbone.

The leader didn't move except to hold the gun up to her warningly, while the others started shouting at her. She didn't understand what they were saying, but they seemed angry; maybe threatened.

She opened her mouth to say something, anything, when the one to the left – the one who looked vaguely like a frog – took a swing at her. She noticed the knife glint in the moonlight and ducked the attack, swinging under him and lightly tapping her staff against his calf.

He howled like he'd been seriously injured, and if she wasn't worried about another attack, she would have taken the time to roll her eyes.

Another one swung at her, this time without a weapon, his fists formed as he prepared to fight her. He was even easier to side-step, and she danced out of his reach, tapping him on the arm lightly, inconspicuously moving closer to the boy who had been screaming. He swung at her again, and she stepped away, tapping him once lightly on the head.

He looked stunned by the action, and she couldn't help the giggle that came from her lips at his bewildered expression.

"That's enough!" the leader shouted as the frog-boy tried to throw himself at her, and all movement stopped. She looked over at the man, noticing the intelligence in his eyes as he assessed the way she'd moved herself between them and the frightened boy. "She's trying to protect him," he said in realisation, blinking in thinly veiled surprise at the dirt smeared girl. "Look, we're not trying to hurt Wells-"

"Yes you _are_!" the angered boy snapped back, but nobody paid him any attention.

"We just need something from him." He was quiet for a moment, watching as the girl stayed strong where she was, stubbornly refusing to move. "Who are you?" he tried again, speaking slowly as though that would in any way help Vala understand what he was saying.

She didn't answer, purely because she didn't know how to, and with a sigh the leader nodded to his men. She'd been so focused on him that she hadn't noticed they'd gotten behind her. They grabbed her, yanking her back and away from the boy. She struggled wildly for a moment, and they didn't have a chance of holding her, but a moment was all they needed.

The poor boy behind her gaze a pained shout just she Vala managed to hit one of the kids in the nose, making him let go, allowing her to rip herself from the other kid's grasp.

"Hey!" the leader shouted, and she spun around to stare at him, bent in a defensive crouch, glaring at the boys surrounding her, daring them to try and attack her. "Okay," he continued soothingly, and the frog boy tossed him a hunk of metal. He held it up in the moonlight, letting Vala get a good look at it. "This is all we wanted. We're not going to hurt him any more."

She still didn't know what he was saying, and even if she could, she wouldn't take his word for it. She glanced over her shoulder at the dark-skinned boy, raising a concerned eyebrow. She searched her brain for the correct word, trying to pull it from the depths of her memory.

"Safe?" she finally asked with a furrowed brow.

He looked surprised she'd said something in his language, they probably all were. He cleared his throat, rubbing his now bare, and only slightly bloody, wrist. "Safe," he nodded reassuringly. That was enough for her. She dipped her head once, staff twirling absentmindedly in her grasp and she turned to leave.

"No you don't!" the voice of the leader was starting to become familiar. She turned around, tilting her head in question at him, waiting for him to say whatever he was going to, even though she wouldn't be able to understand. "We can't just let you leave." He paused, taking a few steps closer to her, still holding the gun in his hand, though it was mostly an afterthought. "How are you here? Are there other survivors on the ground?"

She frowned again. Didn't he know she had no idea what he was saying?

"You don't understand me, great," he bit out snidely, and Vala pursed her lips in thought.

"We should bring her back with us," the boy he called Wells spoke up, the boy she'd attempted to save.

"She doesn't even speak English," frog boy snapped back, looking at the Grounder with severe distaste.

"We have to try and make her understand," he argued rationally. "We have to know more. There _has_ to be a way to communicate."

The leader was quiet as everyone turned to him, waiting for him to make the call. He looked between his lackeys and the wild girl with calculating eyes. "Okay," he finally decided with a low grunt.

Vala wasn't sure what was going on. She looked to the left where Luk was hidden in the bushes. She'd given him a command to stay before leaving, and it was rare that he didn't listen to her. The sky people talked between themselves for a long moment, seeming to have some kind of disagreement before finally the leader turned to her.

"Come with us," he said, motioning for her to follow them.

That was a gesture she recognised. She wasn't sure it was a good idea, but she was _so very_ curious, and she had a feeling like she could trust them. She glanced at the frog boy from the corner of her eye. Well, maybe not all of them, but there was something about Wells that made her feel protective, and something about the leader that intrigued her.

She turned to the bush, sticking her fingers in her mouth and blowing. The boys jumped as the wolf slid from the underbrush, trotting to the Grounder's side and shooting them cautious looks as he passed.

"No, no," the leader shook his head. "No dog."

She understood that. Her expression flattened angrily, and she crossed her arms defiantly. "Yes dog," she growled with narrowed eyes. He copied the action, watching her thoughtfully. The boy she now knew as 'Wells' said something, and the leader glared at him. He said something to the group, and two of them replied, then eventually he nodded.

They started walking, Vala forced in between the group, one on either side and one in front and behind respectively. She winced as they approached their camp. What was that old saying?

Curiosity killed the wolf.


	2. Where Our Time Went

_Tell me where our time went_

 _And if it was time well spent_

 _Just don't let me fall asleep_

 _Feeling empty again_

 _Cause I fear I might break_

 _and I fear I can't take it_

 _Tonight I'll lie awake feeling empty_

Pressure – Paramore

* * *

The Sky people wouldn't stop staring.

Murmurs broke out through the crowd, the group of boys led her through the camp, past the fire and towards the large metal cave that had come from the sky. The leader stepped inside, barking an order at the people within, who all rushed from it's confines, staring at Vala with wide eyes as they passed her.

Once it was emptied, he gestured for her to go inside. She took a step forwards, uncomfortable with the small and dark space, but not arguing. She was entirely confident that she could fight her way out if things went bad. All she had to do was avoid being shot, other than the gun they posed little threat to her; a seasoned warrior.

Boys surrounded the room, watching her warily. Wells was kicked out, and she wanted to argue, but didn't since she didn't know how. The leader sat pointed to a crate off to the side, clearly telling her to sit. She declined silently, merely spinning her staff in her hands as she stared at the cave in wonder.

"We should start with names," the leader said, making Vala's attention snap to him. "I'm Bellamy Blake."

She frowned confusedly, shaking her head, trying to convey that she didn't know what he was saying.

He sighed, already exasperated with the language barrier and they'd barely even begun. He thought for a moment before lifting his hand, tapping himself lightly on the chest. "Bellamy," he repeated seriously, continuing to tap himself, feeling like kind of an idiot. "Bellamy."

Her eyes widened as she realised what he was trying to say. That strange word was his _name_. A smile lit up her face, and she nodded, mirroring the gesture on her own chest, fingers tapping at her leather tunic. "Vala," she told him with a grin, happy they were communicating, even in this small way.

"Vala," he repeated, also glad they were getting somewhere.

She smiled wider, nodding before reaching down to tap her companion on his furry head. "Luk," she introduced proudly, giggling as the canine's tongue flopped from his mouth goofily.

"Luk," he said again, still feeling like a total tool. He cleared his throat, trying to think of the simplest way to ask what he wanted to. "How are you alive?" he asked with a frown. She was several inches shorter than him, and had to look up slightly to meet him eyes. Now that they had a better source of light, she realised his irises were a rich dark brown, they almost glowed in the light. "Are there others? Like you? Do you have family?"

Family: that was a word she knew. "No family," she told him with a shake of her head. She'd long ago stopped feeling the pang of hurt when she thought of what used to be her family; what used to be her clan.

Eagerly hoping this reply meant she was beginning to understand, he barrelled on. "What do you do for food? Do you have friends? A leader we can speak with? You speak some English, so there must be someone you know who knows more."

Growing bored with the incomprehensible gibberish coming from his lips, she began to idly spin her staff around her hand, stepping away from Bellamy and wandering over to the corner.

She picked up a strange kind of red rope, holding it up with a curious frown. She searched, again, for the word, pulling one from her memory that she hoped was correct. "What?" she asked simply, pulling at the odd material with wonder.

"It's a seatbelt," he answered her pointlessly. "It kept us strapped in the chairs when we landed."

She frowned over at him unhappily. " _I have no idea what you're saying_ ," she told him in Trigedasleng, just so he'd know exactly how it felt. His expression faltered and she knew he got the message. He was clearly frustrated. She sighed, wandering further across the room, picking up a piece of cloth that she assumed was some kind of clothes. " _Weird material_ ," she muttered under her breath, feeling the odd kind of shiny fabric used to create the garment.

She almost felt kind of bad; she wasn't trying very hard. She was just easily distracted.

"You _kom_...by sky?" she tried with a wince, wondering if it made any sense to the man as she vaguely gestured to the roof.

He brightened slightly, glad to understand something she said. "Yes," he nodded. "We came from the sky." It was much more complicated than that, but he didn't feel like going through the rigmarole of trying to explain it through the language barrier. "You come by ground?" he attempted, mirroring her broken English in an effort to be understood.

She made a face. "Yes?" she responded, genuinely confused by the question. Was there an option that _wasn't_ the ground?

His lips tipped up in amusement, but he didn't say anything on that topic. "Weapons?" he inquired seriously. She waved the hand with the staff in it, raising an eyebrow like it was obvious. "And?" he prompted, sure that couldn't be it.

She hesitated, not wanting to tell him about her daggers. Bellamy sighed, rubbing the spot over his eyebrow and turning to one of his minions. She watched in vague interest as they conversed, then without any kind of farewell, the leader turned and strode from the cave. She made a confused face, dropping the cloth to rub Luk on the head before turning to follow him.

"No," frog boy shook his head, stepping obviously in her way. She snorted in amusement, rolling her eyes and stepping around him. He caught her arm, tugging her back in front of him. "No," he repeated flatly.

She could have argued and she could have fought; she would have won. But she was curious about these people. These people and the way they danced in the rain like they'd never seen it before, or how they all seemed to be under the age of twenty. She figured it wouldn't hurt to stay a few days, and she could fight her way out later if it came to that.

Besides, she hadn't stayed somewhere that wasn't covered in mud in months, and she wasn't about to turn down free shelter, even if she was technically 'imprisoned'.

She moved over to the corner, leaning her back against the wall so she could survey the entire room, not for a second about to let a single one of these sky people out of her sight. Luk sat in front of her, ears perked up warily as he scanned the room, looking for any hint of trouble.

She'd be fine, and she'd figure out where to go from there in the morning.

* * *

Vala didn't sleep at all, but it didn't bother her, she'd gone _far_ longer without so much as getting a chance to shut her eyes, let alone get a few hours of quality rest.

The sun shone through the opening of the cave, and she glanced away from the strange item she'd found laying on the ground, and up at the men guarding the door, keeping her from leaving.

The taller one was asleep, head tipped back against the metal wall. The other was nodding off, his head dropping every other minute or so only to snap back up again when he realised what was happening.

Vala smirked, rolling her eyes and sliding to her feet silently. She padded across the cool metal of the floor, nodding gently for Luk to follow her. She wasn't letting the dog out of her sight. She stepped out into the sun, taking a deep breath of the fresh morning air.

She was going to go through her morning routine, and the sky people sure as hell weren't going to stop her.

She wandered out into the camp, people in groups around her, staring and mumbling. She couldn't, of course, understand what they were saying, but she doubt she'd have cared if she could. She strode past them, watching as they stared in pure awe at the canine faithfully at her side.

She wandered away from everyone, only partially surprised that nobody actually stopped her.

She made it to a clearing, pulling her staff from her back and swinging it around a few times experimentally, warming up her muscles. "What the hell are you doing out here?" Bellamy's voice shouted suddenly, appearing in her peripheral vision. She paid him no mind and continued to slice the air in a sequence of graceful but complicated movements. "Dammit Miller!" he shouted over his shoulder at the cave. "You were supposed to watch her!"

She hummed to herself, feet leaving the ground as she twisted, staff whipping out to hit an imaginary opponent.

Bellamy watched her, and she glanced over at him properly, the weight of his eyes on her too heavy to ignore. He was shirtless, standing in a spot of sun, skin glistening like the precious liquids she bought off traders to the west. She was definitely attracted to him on a physical level, but she had a rule about being able to speak the same language as someone before she took it any further, so she pushed the thought from her mind, not entertaining it for a moment. "Why aren't you afraid?" he asked with a confused frown.

People drop from the sky, practically kidnap her at gunpoint, and yet she barely blinks, merely calmly swinging her stick through the air.

If she _had_ been able to understand the question, the answer would have been that she'd seen things _much_ more terrifying than a group of delinquents falling from the sky, holding a gun to her head and giving her and Luk a warm cave to stay in.

They really weren't a threat to her.

She doubted they'd ever be a threat to _anyone_.

"Why are you alone?" he tried again, thinking that it just wasn't possible she was the _only_ person on the ground. There _had_ to be more, but then why wasn't she with them?

She didn't stop what she was doing, merely turning to face him, slowing her movements slightly. She understood the word _alone,_ at least, it sounded like a word they used, and she took it's meaning to be the same. "Am banished," she told him simply, staff twirling expertly, feet moving skillfully underneath her.

"Why?"

She preferred single word questions, they were much easier to comprehend. If only they were that easy to answer. "Bad thing," she muttered back with a deep frown, crease forming between her strong brows.

Bellamy shifted, curiosity multiplying. "What?"

She finally stopped her movements, end of her wooden staff digging into the dirt at her feet. She sent him an calculating look, and he wasn't sure whether she genuinely didn't know how to reply, or if she was deciding whether or not to tell him the truth.

Before he could find out which, there was a scream from beyond the trees. Vala frowned in concern, reaching down to weave her fingers through her dog's coat as they moved through the crowd swiftly, heading towards where the sound had come from.

Wells got there just before she did, and she managed to catch a glimpse of frog boy holding a girl over the fire before the larger boy was shoving him off of her. She was right to protect Wells, he was a good man.

She wasn't sure what they were saying, they were talking too quickly and quietly for her to translate what little she knew, but a moment later it seemed like she was getting her wish for entertainment after all.

Growing up with the clan, they'd been thrown into a circle from the time they could walk, expected to fight one another to learn. She'd always been against it, she hadn't liked seeing six years olds crying with black eyes and bloody noses, but in a way she enjoyed watching the adults fight. As long as the fight was fair, and nobody was trying to actually _kill_ anybody, she was more than happy to watch them fight. Really, it was entertaining.

Frog boy swung at Wells, and Vala watched in interest, leaning against the roots of a tree, Luk perching at her feet, every sky person within ten feet instantly giving her space, none daring to go near the weird nuclear survivor.

The two boys fought, neither one of them with much skill. They threw weak punches, shoved each other sloppily and landed pathetic kicks to their sides. She wondered where they could have possibly come from where they didn't need to be able to fight to survive.

Finally the frog boy was on his knees, panting into the moist soil. She noticed the knife before anyone else, instantly hating the boy even more when it was clear he was planning to attack when his opponent's back was turned.

"Wait," Bellamy spoke up, and she watched on curiously, trying to figure out the strange tradition they seemed to be doing. The leader pulled out a makeshift knife, the blade dull but strong, handing it to Wells who seemed shocked by the turn of events. "Fair fight."

The next few moments, it was obvious who was more skilled. Wells made a complicated move that Vala hadn't seen before, and as soon as she figured out how to ask in their language, she was going to ask how he did it.

"Wells!" a new voice shouted just as the dark boy had his knife to the frog boy's throat. Vala glanced up to see a pretty blonde girl striding towards them, fury on her clean face. The rest of the girl's group moved from the trees, and they all spoke with Bellamy, who had a younger girl in his arms. She vaguely noticed they looked alike, and perhaps they were related.

"Turns out, when the last man from the ground died on the Ark, he wasn't the last Grounder."

"It's true, everything we thought we knew about the ground was wrong. There are people here; survivors."

There was a heavy silence, and she wondered what they were saying. "We know," said Bellamy gravely, turning on the spot to look pointedly at Vala. "We met one."

The blonde spun around to see what he was looking at, and all of the newcomers gasped as they laid eyes on her. Realising that the attention was for some reason on her, she straightened, staring back at the smaller group warily. They looked scared and defensive, ready to protect each other at a moment's notice.

Wanting to placate them, she lifted her fist into the air, shouting in accented English, "Whatever the hell we want!"

They didn't seem impressed by the exclamation. "What the hell?" the blonde asked with wide eyes, looking between the dirty Grounder and an exasperated Bellamy.

"She just appeared out of nowhere," he said with a shrug.

"And she hasn't attacked?" she bit back incredulously.

"No."

"You mean not yet," the boy with shaggy hair said, eyeing the Grounder warily, like he expected her to explode into a fit of rage any moment. "One of her people _attacked_ us!"

"It's no use asking her about it, she's been here since last night, and she barely speaks any English," Bellamy told them in his gravelly tone.

"Look, that's not important right now," the blonde said, running a hand over her face tiredly. "The good news is, this means we can survive. Radiation won't kill us."

"Bad news is: the Grounders will," shaggy-haired boy mumbled, and she understood those words.

They continued to talk, the blonde keeping a watchful eye on Vala, but she didn't mind, if watching her like a hawk made her feel in any way safer, then she was happy to let her. They began shouting to the crowd in a way that made Vala feel like they were giving speeches, trying to rally the people.

From what she'd gathered so far, the clan had attacked the smaller group, and taken one of their people. She frowned, feeling oddly responsible. Those were _her_ people attacking theirs, and though she hadn't had contact with them in years, she felt like she should do something.

The sky people had yet to do any real harm to them, and she wasn't going to let war break out without at least attempting to step in and stop it.

The people around her began cheering, fists held high in the air as they clearly agreed with whatever the Bellamy man was saying. The blonde one rolled her eyes and turned, heading for the cave. She stopped suddenly, changing course and moving towards Vala.

The Grounder straightened again, chin tilting up as she watched the blonde one carefully. "Come with me," she said, gesturing accordingly with her pale hand. Vala understood that one, nodding and reaching down to tap Luk on the head. The blonde seemed to register the animal beside them, and her eyes widened for a long moment before she got control of herself again, waiting for her to move first before following her towards the cave.

Bellamy followed them, the rest of the people going back to their fun. They made it back inside the cave, and the blonde looked closely at Vala, wondering where to begin.

"Her name's Vala," Bellamy spoke up, standing by the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

Recognising her name, she tapped herself on the chest. "Vala," she repeated clearly, a small smile on her face.

Blonde girl frowned, the expression making her seem older than she probably was. "I'm Clarke," she finally said, crease between her brows.

"Clarke," she echoed, never having heard the strange name before. So many odd names, fitting for the sky people, she thought.

"Do you know where Jasper is?" Clarke continued, sighing when all she did was tilt her head in confusion. "The boy with the goggles. Do you know where they're keeping him?" Vala only frowned, not knowing what was being said. Deciding to try a different angle, she tried again. "Our friend," she began slowly, waiting to Echo's acknowledging nod, "was taken by your people."

"Am banished," she stammered with a frustrated frown.

Piecing together the broken English, Clarke nodded, beginning to understand what she was trying to say. "Do you know where they _took_ him?" she asked slowly, holding eye contact with the leather-clad girl.

Vala frowned. She thought she knew what they were trying to ask her. They wanted her to find their friend. That was a problem, of course, because if he _was_ at the village, she'd be killed on sight if she took them there, and if he _wasn't_ at the village, then she had no idea where else he could possibly be.

There was one thing she could do; track him. She knew the area like the back of her hand, and it wouldn't be difficult to find his trail if they took him to where he was taken. But how to tell them that?

The word for track was fairly similar in the enemy's language, but she didn't know it exactly. "I...traeck," she attempted with a frown, wringing her hands together as she spoke. "I traeck...Jasp-a."

"Track?" Clarke asked eagerly, taking a step closer. "Are you trying to say you can track him?" Vala nodded keenly, a smile lighting up on her face as she realised she was being understood. "Okay," the blonde said, feeling more confident as they spoke. "We'll get things together."

They left her alone, all moving to different areas of the cave to complete their personal tasks. Vala was left standing there, unsure where to go from there. Bellamy popped his head back inside the cave from where he'd just left. "Come on," he urged her, gesturing for her to follow him. There seemed to be a lot of that happening to her today. She stepped out into the fresh air, Luk on her heels.

They made their way through the camp, and she wanted to ask where they were going, but again was left without the words. "Awe," a high-pitched voice cooed in her ear, and she spun around, hand darting to wrap around her staff.

It wasn't a threat, merely a young girl kneeling down beside Luk and holding out a hand. Vala frowned as the dog growled at her. The only social interaction he had apart from her were the occasional traders she came across in villages. And he never had been very good with children.

"No," she said sternly, not even sure whether she was talking to the girl or to the animal. Bellamy turned around, watching the scene play out with a bored expression on his face. The little girl looked up sadly, feeling chastised and not knowing why.

Vala looked helplessly at Bellamy, who merely raised an apathetic eyebrow, arms crossed over the strange material of his coat.

"Uh..." she murmured, glancing back at the girl. Deciding to mime it out, she bared her teeth then snapped her jaws threateningly, gesturing to the dog.

"She's saying he bites," Bellamy translated for her, and the girl nodded disappointedly, pushing herself to her feet and moving away from the small group.

He led her further through the camp, until finally stopping at a large rock, the pretty brunette from earlier sitting atop it, eyeing a bloody wound on her leg. The man stared down at it for a moment before kneeling down to her level. Vala didn't know much about healing, but she did know it needed attention, it could grow sickly and infected.

She reached for the hem of her pants, easily ripping off a small patch of the sturdy cloth. She tapped Bellamy on the shoulder, and he glanced up at her curiously. She held out the material, and he looked between her and it for a long, silent moment before taking it with a nod and using it to dab at the wound.

"I'm Octavia," the girl said, and Vala tilted her head cluelessly. She tried again, gesturing to herself firmly. "Octavia," she repeated, then held out her hand to shake it.

"Vala," the Grounder replied, understanding it was an introduction, grasping her forearm in a strong shake.

She smiled up at her, watching her with interest. She was going to say more, but cut herself off with a grunt of pain, and Vala frowned in sympathy.

"What the hell was it?" Bellamy asked gruffly.

"I dunno," she responded tiredly. "Why don't you ask Grounder Girl?" They both turned to look up at Echo expectantly, though the outcast had no idea why. "Giant snake in the water," the girl said slowly, making a waving motion with her hand then pointing to the bloody leg. "Bit me."

Vala leaned over Bellamy, her stomach brushing the top of his head, but she paid no mind, eyeing the bite mark on the skin. A snake-like-creature in water? From the look of the bite it was large, and that meant it could only be one thing.

" _Frag daun_ ," she told them with a sure nod, mimicking the girl's arm movements. "Beast be _frag daun_."

"There we go then," the leader hummed, turning back to his sister with a tiny twitch of his lips. "It was a frag daun." They were silent a moment, the leader mopping up the blood, a frown melting over his face. "You could have been killed," he finally spoke, voice unhappy.

"She would have been if Jasper didn't jump in to pull her out," Clarke's voice interrupted anything she could have said, the blonde stomping towards them, boots making squelching sounds on the muddy ground.

Octavia tried to stand, but Bellamy pushed her down gently. They exchanged firm words, the smaller girl ending up glaring back at him irritatedly. Clarke stepped in, calming the situation. She said something to him, and the leader pulled out his gun, flashing it for everyone to see.

Vala flinched at the sight of it, hand twitching to grasp a weapon of her own; an instinct she struggled to fight. He put it away as soon as it had been revealed, and Vala forced herself to relax.

They weren't like the Mountain Men. They just weren't.

" _Come Luk_ ," she told her companion, and the dog's ears perked up as he jumped to his feet, eager for an adventure.

"Vala." She looked up at the sound of her name, looking at Clarke expectantly. The pretty girl waved her over, motioning for her to follow them. "We're taking you to the place they took him from," she told the exiled Grounder, who nodded like she knew what they were saying. "So," she began as they all headed into the forest, Wells beside them with Bellamy and frog boy coming up the rear. "Why were you banished?"

She understood 'why' and 'banished', so she was bale to piece the question together. Vala's strong brow furrowed as she searched for a good answer that wasn't the entire truth. They wouldn't trust her if they knew the real reason. "Fight," she told Clarke, lifting a single shoulder in a halfhearted shrug. "Fight; win; am banished."

The other girl frowned, considering the answer. "Do others speak English?" she questioned, thinking about treaty possibilities.

" _Gonas,"_ she nodded, and Clarke made a face when she didn't understand the foreign language. "Um..." she hesitated, trying to figure out the English word. "Wor-yor?" she said unsurely.

"Are you trying to say warrior?"

Vala wasn't sure, but she nodded anyway. "Warrior talk enemy language."

"You're not a warrior?"

She shrugged again, reaching down to thread her fingers through Luk's fur. "Am banished."

Clarke considered her answer for a moment, frowning as she realised there were other important things to ask her. "What will they do to Jasper?" she inquired hesitantly, stepping over a fallen branch and waiting quietly for the answer that wouldn't come.

"Hey, hold up!" Bellamy called out suddenly, before Clarke could ask for more details. "What's the rush? You don't survive a spear through the heart."

"Put the gun away Bellamy," one of the other boys interjected sharply.

"Why don't you do something about it?" frog boy piped up, finally moving his beady eyes from Vala to shove the darker boy violently in the chest.

Not tolerating a fight, Vala slid between them, grasping frog boy by the collar and yanking him backwards several steps. "Silly frog boy," she muttered, staff held out in front of her warningly.

Bellamy choked on a laugh, but not everybody found her comment amusing. "What the _fuck_ did you just call me?" frog boy sneered, daring to take a step closer. She rolled her eyes, not bothered even in the slightest, unflinching as he got in her face threateningly.

"Jasper screamed when they moved him," Clarke interjected, stepping into the small space between them before anyone could make a bad decision. "If the spear struck his heart, he'd have died instantly. Doesn't mean we have time to waste."

"As soon as you take this wristband off, you can go," Bellamy said, reaching forwards to grasp the blonde's hand, holding up the metal band on her wrist.

"The only way the Ark is going to think I'm dead, is if I'm dead," she growled, and Vala shifted, the tension thick. She didn't want to break up _another_ fight. Were all Sky People so violent? Her attention was caught when she heard a twig snap from the side, her fingers flew to her knife in reaction, but she calmed when she saw it was just another of their people. "Got it?"

"Brave princess," he sneered right back.

"Why don't you find your own nickname?" the newcomer said curtly as he strode up to them. "Call this a rescue party? We need to split up; cover more ground." He turned to the blonde expectantly, "Clarke, come with me."

Vala moved with Bellamy, keeping close to the leader's side. She figured Wells wanted to be alone, judging by the sour expression on his face, and she'd rather shove a stick in her eye than stay with frog boy. Things fell silent after that, the only sound their breaths in the air as they made their way through the thick forest, walking for miles as they made their way back to where Jasper was taken.

She was used to the silence, she _wasn't_ used to the company, and for the first time in a long time, she felt like making conversation. If only she knew how.

She glanced to her right, where Bellamy was walking, hands in his pockets, brown eyes focused forwards. " _Tri_ ," she said at a volume he would hear, and he didn't stop his pace as he turned to look at her curiously.

"What?" he asked, confused.

She took the opportunity to point to a tree looming in front of them. "Call _tri_ ," she said with a small smile.

"Huh," he muttered uninterestedly, clearly bored with the filler conversation now that he knew he wouldn't be getting anything useful out of her. "We call them trees too."

Her grin wavered, before returning again at full strength, not to be deterred by his negative attitude. She rushed forwards, and he couldn't help but eye her as she seemed to dance along the ground, spring in her step as she hopped from logs to rocks, seeming content to leap between the pits of mud.

"Why aren't you wearing shoes?" he asked before he could stop himself, glancing down at her bare feet, the skin of her soles hard and cracked. She looked at him over her shoulder, a confused frown her her delicate features. He paused, lifting a foot to tap on his boots pointedly. "Shoes."

She usually had shoes, but she'd been attacked by some pillagers not too far from the edge of the wastelands. They took everything from her, including her shoes. It wasn't uncommon for it to happen. She figured she'd wait until she had something she could trade for a decent new pair. "Taken," she shrugged with a resigned click of her tongue, leaping off a stump and landing perfectly on a stretch of stone.

"By who?" he asked, wondering who the hell else was out there that would take a girl's _shoes_.

She shrugged again, humming unknowingly and holding her arms out straight as she walked along the top of a fallen tree trunk, cautious not to fall into the mud, easily ignoring the suspicious and watchful eye of the frog boy from behind her.

Bellamy frowned. The girl was small, and also very childlike, but she fought with the skill and wisdom of someone older than him. "How old are you?" he asked before he could stop himself. She shot him a curious look, clearly not understanding the question. "Age?" he tried again.

" _Tu-ten tu_ ," she responded easily, and the other man raised a eyebrow in question. She held out her hands, flashing all ten fingers at him twice before holding up only two.

"Twenty-two?" he confirmed, and she nodded even though she wasn't sure they were saying the same thing. "You're small for twenty-two," he commented after a beat, and if she'd understood she would have grumbled unhappily, but since she didn't she merely blinked uncomprehendingly before shooting him a lazy smile.

Bellamy was struck by how incredibly naïve and experienced she seemed at the same time. She was small and physically unthreatening, but she wore leather clothes, armour, and jewellery made from what looked like teeth. She wore a carefree and innocent smile on her pale lips, but her face was caked in dirt and kohl, hints of tiny, bone white scars speckled on her skin like freckles. She moved with deadly accuracy, twirling her large stick like an expert warrior, even as she danced through the forest with all the playfulness of a child.

The woman was a walking contradiction.

And he wanted to figure her out.


	3. Build Them Skywards

_Cause I've started falling apart I'm not savouring life_

 _I've forgotten how good it could be to feel alive_

 _Crazy as it sounds you wont feel as low as you feel right now_

 _At least that's what I've been told by everyone_

 _I whisper empty sounds in your ear and hope that you won't let go_

 _Take the pieces and build them skywards_

Machines – Biffy Clyro

* * *

"Vala?"

The Grounder girl looked up from where she was crouched beside the water, drinking from her hands, Luk beside her, lapping at the liquid contently. "Whatever the hell we want!" she called back to the leader of the Sky People with a small, carefree smile, and a moment later he stepped around a large rock.

"You don't have to keep saying that, you know," he told her in exasperation as he moved to where she was crouched. "It doesn't actually mean anything."

Vala frowned. If it wasn't important then why chant it around a fire? "Drink," she said instead of voicing her query, gesturing to the stream.

Bellamy eyed it cautiously. "No...uh... _frag daun_?" he asked with a grimace, doubting he was even saying it correctly as he tried to recall what she'd said earlier that day. He was surprised, then, when her face lit up, smiling at him brightly.

He hadn't really taken much notice to her appearance other than to note how dirty and rough she seemed. Now that she was smiling at him, he realised she wasn't bad looking. Until then, he'd forgotten she was still a woman. Until then, she'd simply been a _Grounder_. Now, eyes trailing over the leather armour that clung to her curves, and the hair that flowed down past her chest, he realised she was indeed, very much still, female _._

"Bellamy learn," she told him approvingly with a wide smile, revealing a gap between her teeth that was instantly endearing. He shook it off immediately, silently scolding himself. Now wasn't the fucking _time_. "No," she answered his previous question. "Safe," she assured him.

He still looked doubtful, and she rolled her liquid caramel eyes, continuing to beam at him as she backed up into the water. He watched with a single raised eyebrow as she waded in to waist depth, clicking her fingers, Luk following with a happy yip.

"Safe," she said smugly, staff held across her sharp shoulders.

He hesitated for a moment, but decided he didn't want it getting around that he was afraid, and waded in after her.

He took a minute to enjoy the feeling of being in a body of water for the first time, dunking himself under and popping back up, blinking up at the sky.

He was _free_.

Then the reality of the situation crashed down around him. He might have been free, but who knew how long that would last? The council would come down, and he'd be floated for killing Jaha. He knew the only thing to do – the only option – was to get rid of every single wristband; especially Clarke's. It was the only way he'd be free. The only way he could live in peace with Octavia.

A hand on his face made him flinch, and he looked at Vala in alarm. She'd wandered closer to him, stopping an arm's length away and reaching forwards, letting her fingertips trail along his furrowed brow. "Sad," she mumbled, taking in the look on his face, mirroring the expression on her own features.

He wanted to say something, but how did someone even respond to that? He opened his mouth, not entirely sure what was going to come out, only for a shout from beyond their eyesight catch both the Sky Boy and the Grounder Girl's attention.

"Bellamy!" Clarke's voice rang out across the small stream. "We found something!"

The leader wet his face one final time before wading from the river, water dripping from his clothes. Vala waited a moment before following him, moving up onto the bank and smiling at Luk as he bounded out after her, shaking the water from his fur. "This way," Bellamy told her, heading upstream to where Clarke's voice had come from.

The first thing Vala noticed was the blood. She frowned, crouching down beside the bloody rocks and analysing the smears, piecing together what had happened.

"Vala?" Clarke asked tentatively, and the Grounder looked up expectantly. "Where do we go from here?"

Barely taking note of the gibberish being spoken, she merely focused on the clues in front of her. She eyed the footprints in the mud, leading away from the bloody rocks, along the bank to the east. " _Kom,_ " she told the blonde girl, pushing herself to her feet and wandering after the tracks. The group only hesitated for a moment before doing as they were told.

"How do we know this is the right way?" frog boy questioned with a doubtful sneer. "How do we know Grounder girl isn't leading us into a trap?"

"Why would she do that?" the boy with the shaggy hair asked, clearly on her side.

"I don't know," he continued with a sneer. "But I don't think we should blindly trust her."

"Five of us and one of her?" Bellamy injected with a cocky smirk. "If things go south, I think we can handle it."

"What if we can't?"

"...I guess we're just going to find out," Clarke muttered in response.

"You wanna keep it down or should I paint a target on your back?" the boy with the hair hissed, eyes sweeping the foliage.

Vala paused, glancing at the pebbles on the ground in front of her, blood smeared across their surface. A groan from within the forest caught all of their attention, and Vala went on instant alert, snapping upright, her staff in her grasp and held out in front of her protectively.

"What the hell was that?" frog boy asked with a worried grimace.

"Now would be a good time to take out that gun," Clarke muttered to Bellamy, eyeing the way Echo moved into defensive mode, weight shifting to the balls of her feet like she was preparing for battle.

" _Kom,"_ she murmured to the group, feet silent on the rocks. "Hush."

Pushing through the underbrush, they made their way up and off the bank, moving deeper into the forest. "Jasper," the sky girl gasped, catching sight of the boy hanging on the tree like it was some kind of sacrificial alter. She rushed forwards, pushing past Vala before she could stop her.

"No!" Vala shouted in alarm, but the girl was already falling before she could make it to her. Bellamy was the first to react, lunging forwards and managing to grasp the blonde's wrist, keeping her from falling to certain death. Vala hurried forwards, ignoring the way Luk was growling into the tree line as she reaching down beside Bellamy, also grasping onto Clarke's hand, helping the leader pull the girl to safety. "Trap," she muttered to her once she was safe, a scowl on her lips.

"Yeah," Clarke nodded dazedly, swallowing thickly as she glanced down into the pit of deadly stakes, trying not to think about what a close call it had been. "We need to get him down," she said once she'd recovered, turning her attention to the boy tied to the dead tree.

"I'll climb up there and cut the vines," the one they called Spacewalker told them, but Vala was hardly paying attention.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and she knew instantly that there was danger lurking in the shadows. Grasping her staff once more, she wandered away from the group, keen eyes sweeping the forest, trying to see what she could already sense.

The continued talking amongst themselves from behind her. "Hush," she hissed over her shoulder, hand moving inconspicuously to her thigh where she pulled the knife from the strap, holding it out cautiously in front of her.

They either didn't hear or ignored her warning, continuing to speak to each other far too loudly.

"Hush," she repeated louder, this time managing to catch their attention. "Bad," she growled, hoping they'd understand what she was trying to say, knees bent in a ready crouch as she eyed the trees.

"What is it?" Bellamy asked, on edge.

His question was answered a moment later, when a large cat stalked out from the underbrush, lips pulled back in a menacing hiss. " _Pumae_ ," she responded, muscles tensed in preparation for a fight. With a snarl it leapt towards them, claws extended, eager to slice through their thin flesh.

"Bellamy! Gun!" Clarke shouted anxiously as she watched the animal approach.

Shots filled the clearing, and Vala knew someone was firing their weapon. It didn't slow the cat down much, and a moment later an empty clicking sound filled the air. The animal disappeared into the tall grass, and Luk growled threateningly at the space, knowing it was close.

It leapt, heading right for the leader. "Bellamy!" Vala had shouted before she could stop herself, launching herself at the cat. It wasn't her first fight against a _pumae_ , and she knew exactly where to shove her knife to make it drop dead, blood spilling out from it's stabbed neck, spilling out over Vala, hot and thick.

The cat's dead weight fell onto her, pinning her to the ground. It let out a gurgling noise, the life quickly leaving it.

She blinked up at the sky, hardly able to breathe with it's weight pressing onto her chest. "Vala," Bellamy's voice spoke near her ear. "Help me!" he called back to the others, and together those of them not cutting Jasper down from the tree were pushing the monster off of her.

Hands grasped hers, pulling her gently to her feet.

"You alright?" Bellamy asked her once she was upright. She glanced down at herself, her skin stained red with the _pumae's_ blood.

With a careless shrug, she reached down and picked up her fallen knife, slipping it back into it's place on her thigh before kneeling down beside the creature. " _Yu gonplei ste odon_ ," she murmured to the beast, stroking along it's nose as it took it's final breath. She waited a moment out of respect, before sliding to her feet once more and turning to look at Bellamy with a small smile, lifting her hands and miming picking up the animal and biting into it.

"We can eat it?" he asked for confirmation, something like hope in his eyes.

"Eat," she echoed brightly. Bellamy smirked.

They might just survive this place after all.

* * *

"Who's hungry?!"

The crowd cheered, and Vala smiled, wandering over to the fire and taking a seat beside it. Luk fell beside her, head in her lap. Her lips tipped up, and she threaded her fingers through his fur, smiling when he burrowed his head into her thigh.

It was nice to have company. She enjoyed watching the kids laugh and joke, pushing each other around playfully and turning to send her bright but curious smiles. She was content to just sit there for a long time, enjoying not being alone for once.

"You should wash all that blood off," a voice told her after a moment, and Octavia appeared beside her, a stick of cooked meat in her hand. "It's bad for morale." Vala only narrowed her eyes up at her, unsure what she was saying. "Water," the brunette tried again as she took a seat on the log beside her. "Wash. Clean," she continued patiently, miming washing her arms.

"Bathe?" Vala attempted, gesturing to her bloody arms as she recalled the right word for it in their language.

"Yeah," she nodded with a bright smile, holding out the stick of meat. "Are you hungry?"

The Grounder was surprised. "...what?" she asked tentatively, frowning at the food. Would they want her to work for it? Maybe trade something? Worse still, would they want sexual favours?

"No cost," Octavia shrugged, continuing to smile at the girl. "Take it," she insisted, and though Vala was hesitant, she took the stick, pulling it to her lips to take a bite of the warm meat. She moaned in delight, chewing happily before ripping off a large piece, holding it in front of Luk's nose. The dog perked up, tongue flopping out to steal the food from her fingers, chewing contently before looking up at her for more. "I heard you saved my brother," Octavia continued after a moment. Vala gave no signal that she heard, merely chewing her food and intermittently tearing off pieces for Luk. "Thank you."

"Bellamy friend," she shrugged simply after swallowing a mouthful. She glanced at Octavia, caramel eyes glowing in the light from the flames.

"He could use a few of those," she mumbled to herself, talking too fast for Vala to catch what was said. "So, why _are_ you alone?" the sky girl asked conversationally, smiling as she took an offered tear of meat from Vala. "Why aren't you with anyone?"

"Am banished," she replied, wondering how many times she'd have to repeat the same thing over and over.

"I know that," Octavia rolled her eyes. "But, surely you have friends? Allies?"

" _Sum...ai_ – trade?" she attempted in her broken English, wincing at how bad it probably sounded.

"You trade?" the girl nodded, understanding her despite it all. Vala beamed in response. "So there are others, like you? Good ones?"

"Few," Vala replied with a click of her tongue, ripping off another piece to feed to her companion.

"How long have you had your dog?" she questioned, eager to learn all she could about the sweet but mysterious Grounder.

"Luk?" she responded, patting his head gently. "Many day," she answered with a shrug, not knowing the words for years.

"Why did you name him Luk?"

Echo smiled. " _Kom –_ _Lukot_ ," she told her happily, smiling down at her comrade. "Mean _friend._ "

"Lukot," Octavia echoed, liking the way the strange language felt on her tongue. "So, where did you learn to fight?" she asked, gesturing to her pointed staff sitting on the ground beside her, then holding up her hands in little fists.

"By land," Vala shrugged, chewing the last of her small meal. "Many day."

Octavia looked like she could have gone hours simply asking more questions, but a soft voice called out to her, making her turn to look at the newcomer with excitement. "Atom," she grinned up at the boy eagerly. "This is Vala," she introduced, nodding her head at the Grounder who was paying little attention, focusing on pulling small leaves from Luk's fur.

"Come on," the older boy said with a smirk, barely paying the Grounder any attention.

"See you later," Octavia hurried to say, smiling brightly at her for a moment before taking Atom's offered hand and letting him tug her to her feet. Vala grunted in reply, though not unkindly, nodding at the pair as they walked off into the woods, giggling into each other like children.

She considered what the young girl had said. Perhaps washing off the blood wasn't a bad idea. It didn't particularly bother her (she'd been covered in worse), but she didn't want the sky people thinking she was more of a savage than she actually was.

That got her thinking. What was to say they didn't already think that? What was to say they didn't already want her gone?

With a reluctant sigh, she gently pushed Luk's head off her lap, hauling herself to her feet and slipping her staff into place on her back before turning to head for the small lake only a five minute walk north. From there, she'd head west, move towards the wastelands, see if the village by the desert would want to trade.

"Vala?" Clarke's voice stopped her before she got to the tree line. She turned around, Luk's ears flicking up as he peered at the approaching blonde girl. "Where're you going?"

"Bathe," she repeated, gesturing pointedly to her blood soaked skin.

"Is it safe?" she asked hesitantly, eyeing the shadows warily.

"No," she responded simply, shrugging her shoulders. It was never safe, something the Sky people had yet to comprehend.

"Which stream will you use?" Not knowing how to accurately describe where she was going, she merely pointed wordlessly into the forest in the general direction of the lake. "No monsters?" Clarke asked with a small smile.

She shrugged, a half-hearted smile sitting on her chapped lips.

It was meant to be a joke, but she got the feeling it didn't come across as one. She waited, wondering if she was for some reason not _allowed_ to leave. "Are you coming back?" Clarke asked a moment later, a surprisingly vulnerable expression on her face. Vala frowned in thought. "Are you leaving?"

She wasn't sure what to say. She wasn't sure staying was the best idea. She was putting them in danger by being there, if the clan found out she was helping them, who knew what their reaction would be? "May go," she finally pieced together in English as an answer, although it wasn't much of one. Really, it was more of a lie. She _was_ planning on leaving, but who was to say she wouldn't come back?

Clarke's lips pressed together, and she opened her mouth to say more, but was cut off by the call of her name from somewhere near the metal cave. "I'll see you later?" the blonde asked hesitantly, an almost encouraging look on her face.

" _Leidon_ , Clarke _kom skaikru_ ," she said gently, smiling at her one final time, making the other girl frown at the foreign words. Vala turned and slipped into the trees, forcing herself not to look back at the kind girl. The walk to the river was quiet, and although she'd enjoyed the company of the Sky people, she much preferred the silence of the forest.

She smiled happily as she wandered past a mushroom patch, the fungi glowing beautifully in the darkness. Approaching the lake, she hopped over the sharp rocks, landing on the soft moss of the bank. There were fish in this body of water, lots of them. Frogs too. But she wasn't worried about monsters, she used this one often enough to know it was safe – well, about as safe as things could get in her world.

She wondered around the edge of the water, moving to the inside of the cave in the side of the hill. Once she was inside, she instantly began to strip down. Her pants came off first, then her armour, and finally her leather tunic, leaving her in only the bare minimum of clothes; underwear around her hips and a simple shirt over her chest.

Her knife remained strapped securely to the thigh, and she sat down at the edge of the water, letting her bare feet drop into the cool depths. She glanced up, a smile overtaking her face as she took in the stunning light of the glowworms lining the top of the cave. She gently worked the feathers and teeth out of her hair as Luk curled into a ball in the corner, content to get some quality rest.

Once she was ready, she took a deep breath, dropping herself into the cool water. It wasn't freezing, but it was cold enough to be a shock to her system. She enjoyed it, however, smiling from under the water as she kicked to the surface.

She got to work washing off the blood from her skin, moving from her red-stained arms to her face, where she scrubbed off the dirt and kohl. It'd been a long time since she'd bathed, and she promised herself she'd try and do it more often.

"Vala?!"

The Grounder looked up in surprise, hearing the call of her name from somewhere outside the small cave. The glowworms lining the walls instantly dulled as the creatures got frightened by the sound, plunging the woman and her dog into near darkness.

"Vala!" the voice repeated.

Moving her arms and legs, she propelled herself to the mouth of the cave where the water spread out to the larger lake. "Bellamy?" she called back, seeing the shape of the man in the soft glow of the moonlight. He moved towards her, feet crunching on dead leaves and twigs noisily.

"What're you doing out here?"

What _was_ it with the sky people and their constant need to know every detail about her life?

Shelving her annoyance, she rested her arms on the rocky bank, propping her chin on her folded forearms and blinking up at him expectantly. "Blood," she answered him openly, chewing on her tongue as an afterthought.

He didn't look like he believed her for a second. "Where're you planning on going?" he asked seriously, crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes down at her.

She wasn't completely sure what he was asking her, so she turned in the water, swimming back inside the small and cozy cave. " _Kom_ ," she instructed over her shoulder, and it took a minute, but eventually his footsteps followed her into the encasing darkness.

"What-"

"Hush," she cut him off, resting against the bank again as she waited.

"But-"

"Hush."

They were silent for a long time, several minutes passed before _finally_ the worms started to glow. They glimmered in the darkness, and a smile stretched across Vala's lips as she stared up at the roof, watching as they lit up like stars.

The cave filled with the soft, glowing bluish light, shimmering off the water and bathing the two young adults with the dull brilliance.

"S _oncha bug_ ," she told him under her breath, only just loud enough for him to hear.

"I think, in English, they're called glowworms," Bellamy responded in kind, hesitating for only a brief moment before sitting down, crossing his legs under him. Vala reached forwards with her wet hands, pulling at his boots impatiently. Bellamy laughed, "We're alone in a dark room and you want to start taking my clothes off?" he teased with a wide, shit-eating grin. Vala blinked up at him uncomprehendingly. He rolled his eyes, "never mind."

"Water," she urged him as way of explanation, once again tugging at his boots.

"No way," he shook his head. She blinked up at him with those big, wide eyes, droplets of water on her face shining in the glow of the worms. Compromising, he tugged off his shoes and socks, rolling up his pants enough that he could dangle his legs in the water. "Happy?" he asked with a sneer that was definitely forced.

"Happy," she chirped back, unaffected by his attitude. She grinned at him before dropping into the water.

She was under for a long time, long enough that Bellamy got nervous, but finally she popped above the surface, her face completely clean of dirt and kohl.

He was surprised by how different she looked. Suddenly the harshness and fierceness that she'd exuded was gone, replaced by a calm, elegant and pretty face.

Her eyebrows were pointed and sharp, framing light caramel eyes that sparkled in the glow of the cave. Her nose was small and delicate, her cheekbones high and her lips pale and plump – her lower lip slightly bigger than her top – and chapped. Her jaw was sharp and angled, but curved at the chin, and her skin was soft and translucent, much paler than it looked under the heavy paint.

Her scars glowed in the lights, slightly paler than the rest of her skin. There was one crisscrossing over her lips, another cutting through her left eyebrow. One ran from the top of her temple to her cheekbone, and another along the edge of her jaw.

As he stared at her, she couldn't help but stare back at him.

He was beautiful, she realised as she took him in. His skin was much darker than hers, his face littered with hundred of freckles. His eyes were expressive, and his hair (which up until then had been pushed back), hung over his forehead. His lips looked firm and soft, and as her eyes trailed down his neck to his chest, she wondered if, in the sunlight, she would find freckles there too.

Unable to handle the tension, Bellamy decided saying something was a better option than continuing to stare at her like he'd never seen a girl before in his life. "You don't have to leave," he told her in his gravelly tone, brow furrowing. "You can stay, you know."

"Stay?" she asked gently, frowning in confusion. She struggled for the word, trying to translate it so she could ask what she desperately wanted to. "Trust?" she finally blurted, hopeful when he seemed to recognise the word.

He lifted one shoulder, moving his stare to the glowing wall opposite him so he wouldn't have to meet her eyes. "You came to us first," he said simply. "You helped us." He paused, considering his words. "I might not know much about the Grounders, but I already know you're not like them. You're... different."

Vala bit her lip, dropping her own stare to her nails, which were dull with dirt under them that she could never seem to get rid of. "I be...bad thing," she told him seriously, trying to convey the seriousness of what she did without actually telling him what it was.

"Just so you know, Grounder girl," he said the name with a smirk. "We're all criminals." She was confused by the word. "We've _all_ done bad things. That's why we're _here_."

She contemplated his words for a minute, hoping they meant what she thought they did. She nodded, deciding that, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stick with the Sky people. Maybe it would be nice to have people she could call friends, for once. A teasing smirk appeared on her pale lips.

"Okay?" he asked, finally meeting her eyes.

"Okay," her eyes sparkled with mischief as she echoed the unfamiliar word, assuming it was some kind of comfirmation. "Okay, Sky boy."


	4. Doused In Mud

**A/N: For those of you who have been with me from the start (which I realise wasn't long ago), you may have noticed the main character's name change. This was because I didn't feel comfortable with there already being a character named 'Echo' in the show. To save any confusion, I changed her name to Vala, and have since gone back through the published chapters and fixed this. Thanks beautiful people!**

* * *

 _Come as you are, as you were_

 _As I want you to be_

 _As a friend, as a friend_

 _As an old enemy_

 _Come doused in mud,_

 _soaked in bleach_

 _As I want you to be_

 _As a trend, as a friend_

Come As You Are – Nirvana

* * *

Vala grinned as she watched the pair of boys beat the shit out of each other.

She was glad to be experiencing something familiar. The boy known as Miller was smashing his fist into the frog boy's gut. Apparently the goal was to hold your opponent down for the count of ten, and then you won. It was different to the way she grew up. In her village, you won by rendering your opponent unconscious.

Still, despite the simplicity of the challenge, the children seemed to enjoy it, gathering around in a circle and cheering for their favourite fighter.

Vala watched from where she was sat on the fork in a tree, legs dangling lazily below her. The fighters weren't skilled by any definition of the word, throwing weak punches that did more damage to themselves than their opponent.

The frog boy eventually got the upper hand in the fight, winning the battle by sitting on the other fighter's chest until he was counted out. It looked absolutely ridiculous, and Vala couldn't help the amused trill of laughter that peeled from her parted lips.

The sound caught the group's attention, and they stopped cheering, turning to look at the Grounder in the tree. "Something funny?" frog boy (who's name she now knew was Murphy, though she cared very little) sneered in her direction.

Her laughter died down and she fell from the tree gracefully, dropping to the ground, staff braced in the dirt by her feet, her dog curled up at the base of the trunk, not bothering with involving himself in such matters. "Frog boy be bad fight," she drawled with a smirk, and the people surrounding them made a noise as one, giggles flowing through the crowd.

Murphy all but frothed at the mouth. "Yeah? I could take you any day," he jeered, scowling at her like she was something on the bottom of his shoe.

"No fun fight battle know I win," she grinned as the crowd made another noise, only serving to widen her smirk.

His face twisted in rage. "Fine," he retorted, shoving Miller from the circle and gesturing violently for her to step in. "But no weapons," he was quick to say when she strode forwards, staff in hand.

Echo moved back to where Luk sat at the base of the tree, pulling out all three of her knives and placing them beside her companion along with her staff. She murmured a thanks to the dog, petting his head gently before turning back to the group. She slid into the circle, raising an eyebrow as the kid raised his fists, preparing for the oncoming fight.

"Murphy!" Bellamy's voice snapped, and they turned to look at him where he was moving towards them, a stern look on his face. "What the hell's going on?"

"I'm teaching Grounder girl a lesson," he sneered in response, attention turning back to the relaxed woman standing before him.

The sternness melted from Bellamy's expression, replaced by a heavily amused smirk. "I don't think that's a good idea," he drawled, clearly not too fussed about keeping him from making the mistake he was clearly about to.

"Come on Bellamy," the toad-faced guy moaned irritatedly. "Without her weapons the girl's nothing but a pile of delicate skin and bones. She's no threat."

Uncaring, Bellamy rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Be my guest, then," he said with a wave of his hand, like a King ordering the joust to begin.

Murphy was the first to attack, as all Vala did was stand patiently still, waiting for him to make the first move. Getting impatient, as she knew he would, he swung at her. She dodged the hit with absolute ease, and he over-swung, tripping over himself with his momentum. He recovered quickly, this time his foot snapping up to kick her in the shin.

Vala was already bored. There was no discipline, no rational thought to his moves. He was reacting purely on instinct, which in some cases would be great. Fighting her? Not so much.

Almost lazily, Vala swung, landing a blow to the boy's jaw. He cringed and flinched but otherwise didn't respond. It stunned him long enough that she was able to land a kick between his legs. He yelped, and she took the opportunity to grasp his shoulders then slam her knee deep into his gut. He groaned, holding himself, eyes watering in pain.

She grasped his arm, twisting it until he was on his stomach, arm held back painfully. "Count?" she asked the group generally, and after a shocked pause a young boy knelt by Murphy's side, tapping the ground as he counted to ten. As soon as he was done, she let go of the boy, stepping over his puffing form and heading back for her tree.

She should have known he would fight dirty.

Once her back was turned, his hand grasped around her ankle, bringing her soundly to the hard earth. She grunted as she hit the ground, flipping onto her back just in time for Murphy to land a hit to her jaw. Not in the mood, her hand snapped up, fingers curling around his throat, just not _quite_ hard enough to collapse his windpipe. He gasped for air, and she took his surprise to slam her other fist into his mouth.

He fell off of her with a curse, spitting blood from his lips, the red dribbling down his chin.

"See?" she asked as she pushed herself to her feet. "No fun."

She strode away from the group, smiling to herself as they all laughed loudly, making snide remarks about Murphy getting his ass handed to him by a 5" girl. She swaggered past Bellamy, who was smirking widely, eyes following her before realising what he was doing and snapping his attention to Murphy, who was seething on the ground, glaring at Vala like he would enjoy disemboweling her.

On her way back to the tree, she noticed a young girl standing at the base, frozen in fright as Luk snarled as her, saliva dripping from his snapping jaws. "Luk," she barked warningly, and instantly the canine fell into submission, laying belly-down atop her things. "Okay?" she asked the little girl, using the word Bellamy had taught her and watching warily as she seemed to shiver.

"Yeah," she nodded shakily. "I-I just wanted to pet him."

"Luk no friendly," Vala responded dryly, frowning down at her companion who whimpered sadly.

She expected the girl to turn away, run back from whence she came. "You're a good fighter," she said, surprising the woman. Vala eyed her suspiciously, wondering what she wanted. "You don't speak very good English, huh?"

"No," she responded, watching her vigilantly.

"I could teach you?" the girl suggested hopefully.

Though reluctant, the banished Grounder said yes, allowing herself to be tugged to a spot on the hill, where she was sat down beside the little girl.

That was how Clarke found them an hour later, sitting on the grass, the girl – who Vala now knew was called Charlotte – trying to teach her how to properly pronounce _wildlife_.

"I heard you got into a fight," the blonde healer said after Charlotte muttered something about needing a drink, scurrying off, no doubt because she could tell she wanted to speak with Vala privately.

"Murphy be...stupid head?" she sounded the statement like a question, unsure if she was using the words correctly.

Clarke guffawed, lips twitching before she could help herself. "You could just call him an ass?" she suggested with a slight smile, glancing over at the frog-faced idiot with distaste.

"Ass," Vala repeated, nodding to herself. She liked that one.

"Listen, Jasper's getting worse, do you know anything about medicine? Anything about the poultice they put over his wound?"

It'd been a day and a half since they'd rescued Jasper from the tree. She'd come back to camp, deciding to stick around a while longer, if only for somewhere relatively safe to rest her head. The Jasper kid wouldn't stop moaning, and Vala's upbringing told her it was a lost cause; that she should put him out of his misery.

She wasn't sure about Sky people's culture, and didn't want to be punished for something they might see as a crime, rather than a favour.

She frowned to herself, she'd been in training to be a warrior when she was banished, not a healer. She knew about as much about medicine as she did about the Sky people. What she _did_ know was barely enough to keep her and Luk alive, let alone healthy.

"I fight," she stated simply in her broken English. "No heal."

"So you don't know anything?" she asked, hope lingering.

"Uh," she wondered whether what she knew was relevant. "Burn?" she suggested stiltedly. "Fire? Stop blood?"

Clarke sighed tiredly. "They already cauterised the wound," she told her, rubbing a hand over her eyebrow exhaustedly, trying to fight off a headache. "It was worth a shot," she murmured, glancing at the cave just as Jasper groaned loudly, the sound reverberating around the camp. "I should get back to it," she said, and Vala noticed the bags under her eyes. "Thanks anyway."

She wondered whether she should say something, maybe offer to do something to help, but even if she _did_ know how to ask, she wasn't sure it would do any good.

She also just didn't want to risk fucking things up even more than they already were.

The sun was starting to go down, and as she moved back to where he things sat with a still dozing Luk, she figured she'd see if there was something she could help with in the morning.

* * *

Vala was woken up by a foot nudging her in the leg. She looked up at the rude person through narrowed eyes. Her vision cleared and Bellamy stood, staring down at her with a raised brow. " _Sha_?" she asked, blinking sleep from her light brown eyes, propping herself up on her elbows, feeling Luk bristle from beside her.

"I don't know what that means," the leader dead-panned, arms crossed over his chest.

"Yes?" she tried again in his language.

"Up for some target practise?"

She frowned up at him. "Pra-ka-tyce?" she echoed dubiously, knowing it sounded off but not sure how to correct it. He pointed to her weapons, making a large gesture as though he were fighting an invisible opponent. "No pra-ka-tyce," she shook her head once she thought she knew what he was trying to say.

The taller man rolled his eyes. "Humour me." With a huff she pulled herself to her feet, Luk perking up from beside her, ears cocked as he waited to see what would happen. "Hungry?" he asked, and she looked at him cluelessly. "Food?" he asked again, miming eating with a spoon.

"Yes," she nodded eagerly, patting her stomach as she realised how hollow it felt.

He led her over to a tree stump they were using to rest the food on, picking up a stick of dried meat, holding it out for her to take.

" _Mochof_ ," she thanked him politely, not noticing his bewildered look as she bit into the food, stomach gurgling with glee as she chewed.

"So, you have much experience with knives?" he asked as he led them away from the food and away from the camp, just past the barrier and into the woods. She didn't know what half of that meant, but she recognised the word knife, and pulled her own from it's strap on her thigh, brandishing it in front of her lazily.

"You brought _her?_ " Murphy's voice – just as annoying as the rest of him – piped up, disgruntled as they approached, eyeing her with distaste.

Vala grinned at him as she chewed, wagging her eyebrows, to which he only gave a disgusted sneer. "Shut it, Murphy," Bellamy shut him down before he could complain, rolling his eyes at the toad-faced boy. "I need to see if she'll be an asset when we go hunting." He turned to Vala, who was leaning against a tree casually, munching on the last of the meat in her hand. Noticing she wasn't done, he turned back to Murphy, telling him to continue target practise.

The smaller boy threw the knife fashioned from the material from their metal cave, and it bounced uselessly off the tree trunk before plopping to the ground. Vala snickered silently behind them.

"It's that damn kid, he's messing with my head," Murphy excused pathetically, glaring at the cave where they could vaguely hear Jasper groaning in agony.

"He's not going to last much longer," Bellamy commented as Vala finished her breakfast, throwing the now-bare stick casually over her shoulder, pulling out her knife and twirling it around her fingers idly. "You'll just think of a new excuse." He turned to her expectantly. "You're up, Grounder girl."

She stepped forward, only aiming for a brief second before tossing the knife with practised pin-point accuracy. The dull shine of the old dagger gleamed in the sunlight as it sunk up to it's hilt in the bark of the tree.

"I be better to toad face," she grinned widely, making Murphy grumble swear words under his breath while Bellamy smirked back, turning and aiming his weapon at the tree.

The axe landed lightly in the trunk, only holding for a brief beat before dropping to the ground. He scowled unhappily.

"Throw with middle," Vala spoke up, moving to stand beside the tall leader. "No with arm."

"What?" Bellamy asked with a frown, she wandered forwards, plucking the axe from the ground and moving back to his side.

She handed the weapon back to him, and he took it with a wary frown. She tapped him stomach, forcing her face not to react when she felt his hard abdominal muscles clench under her hand, ignoring the way her own body hummed in response.

"Be middle," she said pointedly, tapping the cloth there before her fingers slid around to his hips, where she grasped on lightly. "Aim with middle, big breathe," she instructed him.

Following her instructions, he took a deep breath, and Vala stepped back so he had room to throw. With a huff he tossed the axe at the tree, and it embedded itself in the bark deeply, the loud _thwank_ echoing through the clearing. "That's how it's done," he grinned smugly, hoping nobody noticed how rough his voice suddenly sounded.

"We looked in a half mile in all directions, no sign of Trina _or_ Pascal," a newcomer said, striding through the underbrush as he made his way to where the group stood. Murphy responded snidely, but Vala didn't catch whatever he said. "Could be Grounders."

"Yeah," Murphy chimed slimily. "Or they could be in pound town. Lot of that going around recently."

"Look Bellamy," the new boy said quietly, deciding to ignore Murphy and turning to face the leader, who had wandered over to the target tree to pluck his axe from the wood. As an afterthought he slid Vala's knife from where it was embedded there too. He threw it to her gently, but he needn't have worried, as she snatched it from the air with ease, hand wrapped safely around the handle. "People are scared. And that dying kid? He's not helping the morale around here."

"Morale will go up when I find them more food," Bellamy told his lackey assuredly.

"And what will they say when we ask them about Trina and Pascal?"

"For now? Nothing. It's possible they're just lost. We'll keep an eye out for them when we go hunting later."

"It's not just that," the boy said, glancing distrustfully at Vala, who was leaning against the tree, minding her own business as she idly ran a finger down her blade.

" _Her_?" Bellamy asked with dangerously narrowed eyes.

"People don't trust her," he began to argue.

"Well _I do_ ," he snapped back. "So that's the end of it."

Vala got the feeling they were definitely talking about her when they kept glancing to her, and feeling awkward, she lifted a hand, wriggling her fingers at the pair with an uncomfortable smile on her face. Bellamy snorted in amusement while the new kid looked at her like she was insane. She didn't care, she had little patience for such trivial things.

The small group broke up quickly, wandering away from the tree they'd been gathered around.

"I hear you're going hunting," Octavia spoke up once Vala was back in the centre of camp, and she turned to look at the girl with a raised eyebrow. "Have you done much of that before? Hunting?"

She picked up the rock, dragging it slowly along the blade of her knife. "Yes," she responded bluntly. That was a stupid question. "I hunt – I eat."

"Right," Octavia nodded, chastising herself for asking such a question. The girl lived off the land, of _course_ she'd hunted before.

Vala paused, taking in the sad look on the girl's face. "Sad?" she asked tentatively.

"I'm fine," Octavia shook her head with a forced smile. "Thank you for noticing though."

She frowned, considering why she might be feeling so. "Bellamy be ass?" she asked innocently, making Octavia snort loudly.

"I suppose there are worse words you could pick up from a group of teenagers," she muttered with a small smile. "I just wanted to tell you to be careful," she continued after a moment, reaching forwards to knock her lightly on the shoulder. "It's a dangerous world out there."

Vala knew this, but decided telling her so would ruin the moment. She merely smiled back, making a clicking sound with her tongue as an acknowledgement before turning and awkwardly wandering over to the the fire where Luk sat curled up, glaring at the passer-bys that tried to pet him.

She took a seat beside him, running a hand through his hair and glancing up at the sky, eager for when they would go hunting. She was dying to actually be of some use to these people, so far she hadn't been much of a help. She hoped to change that.

There was a loud scream from the cave, and a minute later Bellamy rushed out from it, stalking across the grounds, towards where she'd figured out his tent stood. She cut him off before he could go inside, appearing in front of him suddenly, not _quite_ making him jump.

"Jasper safe?" she asked with a tilt of her head, a worried frown on her features.

The question seemed to exhaust the leader, who sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. "He's alive...for now," he responded gruffly, making Vala's frown deepen. "If he's not better soon..."

"Kill be mercy," she cut him off gently. His gaze shot to her in sheer surprise, shocked to see a deep understanding in her caramel eyes. She smiled, but the expression was sad, merely a pathetic and forceful twitch of her lips.

"I don't want to do it," he murmured to her quietly, not sure why he kept talking, telling the _Grounder girl_ of all people. "But I'm their leader. It's my job."

She leaned forwards, ducking down to catch his eyes. "Bellamy strong," she told him softly, nodding her head assuringly. His lips quirked up slightly as he stared at her, surprised by the level of empathy and kindness in her gaze. How could anyone call her a savage?

"Bellamy!" a voice yelled, yanking both of their attention from the conversation. "Are we going or what?" They turned to look at Murphy, who stood by the tree line, that permanent sneer on his lips as he watched them with beady eyes.

"Come on," the leader nodded his head, reaching inside his tent to pick up his axe before turning and moving for the rest of the hunting party. Vala whistled to Luk, who perked up eagerly, trotting over to them. "Uh-uh," Bellamy shook his head. "No way. Dog stays here. _No Luk._ "

"No Luk, no Vala," she responded with narrowed eyes.

She saw his jaw clench in annoyance, but could tell he would relent, so she beamed as she stepped around him, following the rest of the men into the trees.

Bellamy didn't want to let the little bunny of a girl walk all over him, but he was finding that he had difficulty saying no to those wide, expressive and stubborn coffee coloured eyes.

"Luk good hunt," she said to him casually as they wandered through the forest, sweeping in a line heading east, looking for their next meal. "Be good nose more be man."

"What other types of things are there to hunt, other than the big cat thing?" he asked quietly, axe slung over his shoulder.

" _Pumae_ ," she corrected lightly, glancing at the canopy above them idly, enjoying the way the light filtered through the leaves. "Also _heneja, crinae, gongplei_ and _leidar._ "

Bellamy was quiet for a moment. "I have no idea what any of those are," he admitted softly, frowning and wishing – not for the first time – that the language barrier was non-existent.

She giggled lightly, the sound carrying on the wind and making him glance over at her, taking in the smile on her face. She had reapplied the kohl to her eyes, rimming them thickly, but apart from that it was still clean, and he noticed she had a set dimples on her cheeks when she grinned.

Luk suddenly shot out from the bushes, darting to Vala's side. He hadn't even realised the dog had been gone, and he watched as it growled at her quietly before zipping away again, heading back the way he'd come. "Luk find food," she whispered to him, pulling her dagger from her thigh and readying it in her delicate hand.

She rushed after her companion, making Bellamy roll his eyes in exasperation before whistling at the others in the hunting party to follow them as he raced after her as silently as he could.

He found her perched behind a log, eyeing a large boar as it snuffled against the ground for food. She pulled back her hand, ready to throw her knife, but something in Bellamy stopped her.

He reached forwards, grasping her wrist. "He's mine," he told her and the rest of the party as they all slowly closed in on the prey.

Vala watched with a raised eyebrow, observing the leader of the Sky People as he stalked the _gongplei_ – known to the Sky people as a boar. He had a stealth about him that surprised her, and she could sense his strength, see it in the way he held himself. She wasn't wrong before.

Bellamy was _strong_.

A twig snapped from behind them, breaking Vala from her thoughts surrounding the leader of the Sky people. She gasped, spinning around quick as lightening, hand flying over her shoulder to grasp her staff, other hand brandishing her dagger protectively.

Bellamy's axe went flying, thudding into the rough bark of a tree, right beside the young girl's – Charlotte – head.

Vala gasped, eyes widening in alarm as she took in how close the girl was the death. The rest of the hunting party couldn't have cared less. "Get it!" they shouted as the boar took off into the underbrush, squealing loudly as it fled.

Vala didn't sheath her dagger, but she did remove her hand from her staff, moving over to the frightened little girl with a worried frown.

"Who the hell are you?" Bellamy asked stonily, glaring at the newcomer, though the expression wasn't very severe.

"Charlotte," Vala told him with a small smile, masking her own worry.

If he was surprised that she knew the girl, he didn't show it. "I almost killed you," he bit back, stepping up to the tree and tearing the axe from it's bark. "Why aren't you back at camp?"

"Well – that guy who was dying...I just, I couldn't listen any more," she said softly, staring up at the leader with wide, innocent eyes.

"There're Grounders out here-" the only other member of the party to stay spoke up, eyeing the girl carefully. Vala cleared her throat pointedly, sending the man a narrow-eyed glare that was in no way severe. _"Other – bad, non-friendly_ Grounders," he corrected uncomfortably. _"_ It's too dangerous for a little girl."

"I'm not little," the girl retorted angrily.

"Be Charlotte size I kill many men with no eyes," Vala (half) joked with a wide smile, but judging by the stares she got, that wasn't exactly the right thing to say.

"Okay then," Bellamy muttered after a beat, graciously ignoring the Grounder girl's comment. "But you can't hunt, without a weapon." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a knife fashioned from the metal of the cave. "Ever killed something before?" he asked her gently. She shook her head. "Who knows? Maybe you're good at it." He turned to glance at Vala, who was standing beside the child, watching with cautious, protective eyes. "I'm sure Grounder girl will be happy to give you some pointers."

"...poy-n-tas?" Vala repeated cluelessly, blinking at the taller man uncomprehendingly.

Bellamy's lips quirked up, but before anyone could say anything else on the subject, the sound of a loud horn cut through the air.

The Sky people looked around in confusion, while Vala went deathly still before she kicked into motion. "Run," she hissed at the others, who all turned to stare at her in bewilderment. None of them moved, and she reached down to tug at Bellamy's arm. "Run!"

"Hold up," the leader frowned, pulling her back to a stop. "What's wrong? What does that mean? Is it the Grounders?"

Vala wracked her brain for the English word, but she couldn't find it. What did they _call_ it? Hell, they didn't have time for this! "Run or be die!" she shouted at them, pulling at Bellamy's sleeve desperately, trying to get him to move.

Again, nobody moved. Then they saw the fog, and _that_ got them running.

Vala whistled sharply as they turned and legged it to the west, Luk appearing at her side in an instant. "Caves!" she called to them over the sound of the fog swirling. " _Kom_!" she urged in her language, and hearing no complaints, took a sharp right, leading them towards where she knew they'd all be safe.

Charlotte fell behind, and she glanced over her shoulder, prepared to go back for the girl, only for Bellamy to sweep up her hand, pulling her along after him.

Vala was faster than the others, more used to the terrain and to running, and she all but dove up a small hill to get to the entrance to the caves, turning and throwing out a hand for Charlotte, who grasped it, Bellamy pushing from behind until they had her up and over the ridge, and inside the safety of the cave.

" _Bellamy_!" the boy that had been with them screamed in agony, and Vala felt a sharp pang of guilt before she shook her head, forcing herself into the moment. Bellamy and Charlotte were okay, and that's what she had to focus on.

She led them further, bringing them to where they would be safe from the fog, but not too far that they would run into any Reapers. She figured dumping _them_ onto Bellamy's lap on top of everything else may have sent him into overload.

"What the hell was that?" Bellamy growled, coughing slightly to get the last of the fog from his lungs as Vala gently sat Charlotte down on a root sticking from the ground.

" _Wan op oncomien,"_ she told him in her native tongue, ignoring the irritated look he sent her. "Mean...death cloud."

"Death cloud?" he echoed, raising an incredulous eyebrow. "You didn't think telling us about the 'death cloud' should have been at the _top_ of your list of things to say?"

"Many things I say or no," she hissed back. "Bellamy no listen."

Before Bellamy could respond, there was a loud sniffle from beside them. Instantly, they looked over at Charlotte, who was curled into a ball on the root, staring at them with wide, watering eyes.

"We be in cave long time," she told the young girl gently, her way of telling her to relax and get some rest.

"I-I'm scared," she whimpered, sniffling again.

Vala didn't have much experience with children. What little she had was limited to one-night stays in homes with families kind enough to give her temporary shelter. She didn't even speak the same language as the girl, how was she supposed to comfort her?

She thought briefly of her own mother, how she'd sing her to sleep when she was sick, or scared of the thunder.

So, with happier memories in mind, Vala opened her mouth and sang.


	5. Waiting For The Sun

**A/N: I'm glad you guys are liking it so far! I've gotten some notes about how she seems to be picking up English really quickly, and I just wanted to let you know that she does already know the basics, just never uses them except for in trade, so she's not used to it. Being surrounded by the language means everything she knows is coming to the surface, that and she's already a really fast learner.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _I am outside_

 _And I've been waiting for the sun_

 _With my wide eyes_

 _I've seen worlds that don't belong_

 _My mouth is dry with words I cannot verbalise_

 _Tell me why we live like this_

We are Broken - Paramore

* * *

Things were deathly silent in the cave.

For a long time Vala had sung, singing songs from her childhood, songs she sang to Luk on winter nights when she was so cold and hungry she wasn't sure if she'd ever see the sunrise. She sang for so long her throat hurt, and eventually, the soft sound of her surprisingly gentle voice lulled a frightened little Charlotte to sleep.

Now though, that she had no reason to sing, she stopped, letting silence overtake the space.

Luk, knowing better than to make sounds too loud in the cave – lest it attract Reapers – merely whined, nuzzling Vala where she sat opposite Bellamy, back pressed up against the stone wall of their hiding place.

Bellamy wasn't happy with the silence, he'd much prefer her innocent language as she tired painstakingly to explain something to him that she didn't know the words for. So, desperate to hear her voice (and for a distraction against his guilt for Atom) he spoke up. "How long have you been alone?"

Vala tilted her head at him, eyes piercing him through the dark. He was struck, suddenly, by how intelligent she was.

You wouldn't know it, listening to her talk. Her minimal grasp of the English language often made it sound like he was trying to have conversation with a toddler. But looking at her, at the way she thought and moved and smiled and _watched_. He knew she was intelligent, and couldn't wait until she could speak enough English that he would be able to find out first hand.

"No 'lone," she responded quietly so as to not wake the sleeping girl, turning her gaze back to the far wall. "Have Luk."

"I mean, when were you banished?" he asked, eyes sweeping her form. He didn't think he'd ever seen her relaxed, even now, in the depths of the cave, she was coiled tightly, looking like she was ready to spring into attack mode at a moments notice. "Age you were banished?"

" _Ten_ ," she told him softly, flashing all her fingers at him idly, glad the word seemed to be the same in both languages.

His eyebrows hit his hairline. "Ten?" he asked incredulously. "You've been alone since you were _ten_?" Anger coursed through him, taking him by surprise. "Where were your parents? Your mom and dad?"

"Be with clan," she shrugged simply, reaching up to run a hand through her hair, tugging at the scattered braids absently and dragging her fingers over the shells weaved through them.

"They just... _let_ you get exiled?"

Vala shrugged again, not really having an answer. That curious streak burned bright, and she searched for the words a moment before speaking them. "Bellamy do bad thing?" she spoke, frowning as she knew they weren't perfect.

The leader nodded, understanding anyway, face twisting as he thought of it. "Yeah," he murmured, so quiet she almost didn't hear it. She was silent, waiting for him to elaborate.

Bellamy was sure it was a bad idea to tell her, but keeping such a big secret had taken it's toll. He needed to get it off his chest. Besides, who was _she_ going to tell?

"I killed someone," he admitted softly, eyes lowered in shame.

She took a moment to process what he'd said, the word slowly translating in her head. The word _kill_ stood out, relief swept through her, and although she should have felt guilty, she couldn't find the energy.

"I did it for Octavia," he blurted when she said nothing, fearing the worst. "And he wasn't a _good_ guy. He was responsible for _hundreds_ of deaths on the Ark, so in a way it was justified-"

"I killed man," she interrupted him, and he turned to look at her with wide eyes. "Why am banished," she explained with a frown. "No be good man."

Understanding dawned on Bellamy's face, and he looked at the small spitfire with renewed perspective. He wouldn't have pegged her as a murderer, but people would say the same thing about him. "What did he do?" She shot him a curious glance, not understanding the question. "He had to have done something. Had to have given you a reason."

She hesitated, but knew, deep in her gut, that she could trust him. "Hurt small sister," she murmured with a disgusted frown.

"You have a little sister?" he asked, surprised. He and the Grounder girl had more in common than he thought.

"Yes," she nodded, eyes unfocused for a moment as she thought of her closest kin.

"What's her name?"

Refocusing on Bellamy, her eyes narrowed, and she easily sidestepped the question. "You like be ground?"

Noticing her evasion, but deciding not to bring attention to it, he let her change the subject. "It's...nothing like I thought it would be," he admitted, looking around at the walls of the cave. "It's better than the Ark though, that's for sure. Not that much difference between them, really. You're just as likely to die down here as you are up there. Didn't have anyone there on my side either..."

Vala wasn't sure what he was saying, but his face suddenly looked sad, and she wondered if there was something she could do to help him. "Smile," she commanded with a gentle grin, shuffling closer to him without thinking until their arms brushed. "Sky boy Grounder girl friends."

Bellamy looked up at her, something like wonder in his expression. How could she live _alone_ in a place where everything seemed to want to kill you, and still smile at him with that light in her eyes? It astounded him in the best possible way.

A terrified moan from the slumbering little girl in front of them broke him out of his admiration for the Grounder, and he looked at Charlotte in alarm. "Wake up," Bellamy urged the girl, realising she was having a nightmare. "Charlotte, wake up!"

"I'm sorry!" she cried out, snapping up and staring at the pair of older warriors with teary eyes.

"Does that happen often?" he asked her, and she sniffled sadly, nodding her head. "What are you scared of?" he questioned gently. She didn't respond, ducking her head and running the back of her hand across her face. "You know what? It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what you do about it."

"But...I'm asleep," she said in confusion.

"Fears are fears," Bellamy told her soothingly. "Slay your demons when you're awake, they won't be there to get you when you sleep."

"Yeah, but how?"

"You can't afford to be weak," he said. "Down here, weakness is death. Fear, is death." He turned to the Grounder, lips quirking up into a small smile. "Just look at Vala, I don't think I've ever met a girl as strong and unafraid as her," he said, knowing the younger girl needed someone to look up to, but also knowing there was truth to his words. Vala got the feeling he was complimenting her, and an odd liquid warmth pooled in her chest.

"I'll never be as strong as her," Charlotte responded forlornly, glancing at Vala, taking in the scars smattering her skin and the war paint surrounding her eyes. The little girl didn't have a hope of being even half the warrior the Grounder was; the girl who took down a giant monster to save Bellamy's life.

"Let me see that knife I gave you," Bellamy said with a smirk, glancing at Vala like they shared a joke, though she hadn't a clue what it was. Charlotte dug in her pocket, pulling out the small knife. "Now, when you feel afraid, you hold tight to that knife, and you say 'screw you, I'm not afraid'."

He handed the knife back to the girl, who took it gingerly. "Screw you, I'm not afraid," she muttered without heart. Bellamy shot her a look and she took a deep breath, "Screw you, I'm _not_ afraid."

"Grounder say," Vala spoke up gently, and Charlotte looked up at her with wide eyes. " _Osir gonplei nou ste odon nowe,_ " she told them, smiling kindly at the little girl. "Mean, _our fight no over_ ; mean, be brave, have heart, survive."

Bellamy's lips tipped upwards, and he realised he seemed to be doing that a lot more since the wild warrior girl dropped – quite literally – into his life. "Slay your demons, kid," he told Charlotte lightly. "Then you'll be able to sleep."

Things were quiet for a moment, Charlotte frowning at the knife in her hands contemplatively. "Will see death cloud," Vala muttered after a moment.

Bellamy jumped to his feet. "I'll do it," he offered, taking a step in that direction, only for her small but deft fingers to wrap around his wrist, pulling him back.

"Bellamy sweet," she rolled her eyes at him exasperatedly. "Vala do."

"I," he corrected her, and she blinked those large caramel eyes up at him.

"I?" she echoed, she knew what it meant, but she still wasn't completely sure how to correctly use it.

"'But _I_ will do it'," he said, gesturing to her pointedly.

" _I_ will do it," she nodded her head, wondering if she was using it correctly.

"Better," he told her, and flashing him a final smile, she turned and headed for the entrance to the caves, peeking out into the cool but safe air, no acid fog remaining.

"Bellamy!" she called over her shoulder, Luk trotting over to where she stood leaned up against the stone wall.

"It's all clear," he commented needlessly as he stepped out into the open, Charlotte close on his heels. "Anybody out here?!" he yelled, voice reverberating across the clearing. "Jones?!"

"We're here!" a voice called in the distance, and Bellamy was quick to find it's source.

"Austin and Stu," he greeted the other half of the hunting party. "Where'd you go?"

"We went to a cave down there," the shorter of the group told him. "What the hell was that?"

"Vala calls it the 'death cloud'," Bellamy shrugged, glancing up into the sky, just to be sure they were in the clear. "Where's Atom?"

The others merely shrugged, and leader frowned heavily.

He turned to Vala, who was standing by idly, staring into space. "Vala," he said, and the warrior turned to look at him intently. "Can you track Atom if we go back to where we where hunting the hog?"

"Yes," she nodded her head affirmatively, and, knowing the layout of the forest _much_ better than any of the Sky people, she took the initiative to turn and head back west in the direction of the clearing they'd first seen the hog in.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Vala looked down at Charlotte, grimacing at the question. Truth was, the chances of Atom getting to safety were slim to none. The only other caves for miles were the ones the rest of the group hid in, and clearly he hadn't been with them.

"Walk way," she told the little girl as she pointed to the east, not wanting to coddle her. "Watch I," she said, but judging by the odd expression she was given, she _hadn't_ used it right that time.

Uncaring, she turned and knelt by the prints in the soil. The heaviest ones were obviously Bellamy, and if she remembered correctly, Atom had been to his left. Finding the tracks was easy, and she followed them for only a few minutes before she found the poor soul.

Unfortunately, Charlotte had been following, and the moment she laid eyes on the writhing boy, she opened her mouth and let out a piercing scream. "Charlotte," Vala muttered, but the girl didn't react, letting out another trill screech.

The Grounder approached the boy, kneeling down next to him and pressing her lips together, looking at him with sympathy. Heavy footsteps hit the earth behind her and Bellamy rushed to the source of the screams.

"Atom?" he asked, leaving Charlotte's side to kneel on the boy's other side.

He looked from Atom's welt-covered body to Vala, expression horrified. "Death cloud," she told him sadly, shaking her head.

"Kill me," Atom whispered, and Vala didn't need to know English to know what he was begging for. All victims of the death cloud asked for the same thing.

Bellamy looked up at her hopefully, "There has to be something you can do."

Luk whimpered from where he was by the tree, uncharacteristically staying by Charlotte's side. "No," she breathed sadly, shaking her head, wishing there _was_ another option. "Atom be pain."

He nodded, knowing what he had to do. A cool weight in his palm caught his attention and he looked down to see the little girl handing him the knife he'd given her. "Don't be afraid," she murmured to him, glancing at Vala. "Be brave and have heart," she said, recalling the words the warrior had only just told her in the cave.

Bellamy nodded, more to himself than anyone else.

"Go back to camp," he told the group sternly. "Charlotte, you too," he said when the young girl didn't move. She hesitated, but finally nodded, turning around and wandering back towards the camp, casting a sad look back as she left.

They were alone.

"Kill me," Atom begged through his pain. "Kill me."

Bellamy stared down at the agonised boy, something like fear on his face. Vala watched him, struck by how _good_ he was, how very _kind_. He couldn't even make a mercy kill, something her people were taught to do as soon as they could hold a knife.

A twig snapped from behind them, and she looked up, meeting Clarke's eyes as the blonde girl stepped into the clearing. "I heard screams," she said, gazing down at Atom in horror.

"Charlotte found him," Bellamy told her, sounding choked up. "I sent her back to camp." He turned to look at her, unbearable hope in his chocolate eyes, desperate for the blonde doctor's daughter to tell him there was something she could do.

Clarke shook her head.

Bellamy stared down at the boy with despair. His hands shook as he lifted the knife to the bloody skin of his throat.

Vala took pity on him. She already had so much death on her hands. Not just the man from the village that she murdered, but scavengers who had tried to take _her_ life, forcing her to retaliate and take theirs.

She reached forwards, dainty fingers clasping around his shaking one. "Let I," she murmured to him gently, glancing at Clarke, noticing the tears in the blonde's eyes but saying nothing. She gently extracted the knife from his grasp, leaning further over Atom's convulsing form. "Atom," she whispered to the boy, blinking down at him with wide, sad eyes. " _Yu gonplei ste odon_ ," she told him sincerely, meeting his cloudy, unseeing eyes as she leaned forwards.

The knife pierced his corroded artery, slicing through thin skin with ease. Clarke began to hum, a tune Vala was unfamiliar with. He bled out quickly, hardly feeling any pain.

Clarke sniffled, but otherwise held herself together.

Vala glanced up at Bellamy, who was staring at her, a heaviness in his gaze that she was also unfamiliar with. "What did you say?" he asked softly, holding her gaze, not allowing himself to glance down at Atom's corpse.

"Fight be over," she breathed, fingers still curled tightly around the knife. "It be ground say." She glanced at Clarke, who, unlike Bellamy, couldn't seem to remove her eyes from the body between them. "You be well," she murmured to her consolingly. "He pass with peace."

"Thank you," she replied softly, swallowing thickly. The Grounder understood what she was thanking her for; doing the mercy kill so she didn't have to.

Vala already had so much blood on her hands. What was one more gallon?

* * *

Vala was lingering away from camp, needing time to herself after what had happened with the boy they called Atom. She looked at the base of the tree she was lounged in, frowning as the peace was broken by a boy stepping on a large branch, making the crack echo through the forest.

"What you do?"

He jumped, startled by her question. He looked around, trying to figure out who had said it. He was unable to see her, as she blended perfectly into the darkness of the tree. She rolled her eyes exasperatedly, letting herself drop from the branch she was in, landing soundly on her feet. Luk perked up from where he'd been laying, ready for action.

"Oh," the boy sighed, relieved when he realised there wasn't any danger. "Uh, you mean 'what am I _doing_?'" he corrected her after a beat, and she scowled in irritation at the smirk in his voice.

"Boy no be smart," she grumbled irritatedly.

He chortled unattractively. "Are you trying to say I'm _not_ smart, or telling me not to be _smart_?" Not sure what the difference was, she merely shot him a sneer thick with annoyance. He snickered again, and she turned away, already sick of him. "Hey, wait! Vala, right?" he called after her, and she looked back over her shoulder at him, raising a single eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. "I'm Finn," he introduced himself, and she merely stared at him uninterestedly.

The boy, Finn, looked over to a spot in between two large, looming trees.

"You know what this is?" She was confused for a moment, before he moved over to it, jumping on top of something that made a loud noise under his weight.

" _Trimani klir_ ," she nodded. She knew the terrain like the back of her hand, and she was well aware it was there. She'd hidden there more than once when the death cloud came sweeping through the woods.

"What does that mean?" he asked curiously, simply wanting to learn.

She took a moment to translate. "Forest safe place," she said. They didn't really have a name for it in her language, so she'd made one up.

She liked it, it was warm enough in winter, and a good place to hide from danger. But, honestly, she felt safer in the trees, where she had the upper hand.

Oddly wanting to continue the conversation, she pressed on. "What you say?"

"Uh, abandoned shelter," he said, not really having considered it.

She nodded, making a mental note to ask Bellamy what those words meant. "No eat food," she warned him with a frown. She'd made that mistake once, and it took a five whole days for her to be able to walk without the forest spinning.

Luk had been terribly concerned.

"Yeah," Finn nodded with a smirk. "I wasn't planning to."

She wasn't much in the mood for any further attempts of conversation, so she nodded once, curtly, before turning and heading for the camp, wanting to be closer to the fire.

"See ya, Vala!" Finn called after her friendlily, and she frowned again. Another thing to ask Bellamy to explain.

She made her way back to the camp, moving through the groups that had formed and finding a nice quiet spot next to one of the few roaring fires plotted around the area. She settled down, reclining as she soaked up the warmth of the flames.

"Wanna fight?"

Vala looked up at the young boy who had dared approach, staring at her with an expectant, almost leering expression on his face. "No," she said, tone airy and light, barely sparing him more than a glance before turning back to Luk, pulling bits of dead leaves from his thick coat that had gotten caught from his time deeper in the forest.

"Aw, come on," he tried to convince her, pulling a face that was probably meant to be compelling. "I wanna see more of your _moves_."

"No," she replied again, looking up to shoot him a flat look, the kohl around her eyes making her caramel irises seem to glow in the faint firelight.

"Come on," he urged, reaching forwards to place a hand on her shoulder.

Her hand snapped up, grasping his and twisting it back without hesitation, making him cry out in pain. "Leave," she instructed him, tone now leaving no room for interpretation.

"Crazy bitch," he muttered as he scurried away, and she wasn't sure what the words meant, but she was sure they weren't anything nice. She rolled her eyes at his retreating back before turning back to her companion and once again running her hand through his coat, calmly pulling bits of the forest from his coat.

"I was going to come rescue you," Bellamy spoke up as he approached from the side. "But I should have known it wasn't going to be necessary."

"Bellamy okay?" she asked him, seeing through the forced smile on his face in an instant. The leader sat down on the log beside her, sighing heavily but not dropping the false expression. She got the feeling he was refusing to appear weak in front of the rest of the Sky people.

He needed time away from them, a space where he could relax and not have to worry about appearing strong and unaffected. She reached over, hesitating only a second before wrapping her fingers around his wrist, holding him delicately, like he would pull away if she clutched any tighter.

She stood, pulling him up with her.

"What're you doing?" Bellamy asked with a frown, letting her pull him to his feet, watching her cautiously.

"Bellamy need space," she declared. Luk hopped up, trotting after them. "Clarke be in charge," she added, turning away from the fire they were near, heading into the dark and gloomy depths of the forest.

"Uh, no," Bellamy didn't put up much of a fight despite his muttering, and she ignored him, continuing to tug him through the forest by the wrist.

They walked further, slowly coming past the glowing butterfly grove, making Bellamy think fondly of his sister before his attention was brought to Vala, who (absentmindedly) threaded their fingers together, so instead of apathetically tugging him by the wrist, their hands were intertwined, a much more intimate gesture.

Vala seemed unaffected by this, barely registering the change, but to Bellamy – who was much more knowledgable on the rules of social interaction – it was a big deal. He swallowed, clutching her small hand in his larger one tightly, enjoying the way her cool, calloused skin felt under his.

"Where are we going?" he asked, not finding anything familiar in the dark.

"Hush," she muttered back, effectively shutting him up.

They didn't walk too far from camp, only about a five minute journey, and he realised where they were heading as he saw the light from the moon sparkle on the top of the small lake, cave of glow worms glowing softly across the water.

"Oh," Bellamy muttered, suddenly feeling like a weight was lifted from his chest. He sighed, the tension melting from his broad shoulders.

"Bad day," Vala said simply, reaching down to pull up her leather tunic, stripping it off and letting it fall to the ground, leaving her in nothing but her small undershirt.

Bellamy's eyebrows raised in surprise, not sure what was happening. Her skin was smooth and riddled with scars, just like her face, but he didn't find it repulsing. He had the sudden urge to run his tongue over each one, mapping them out and learning the story behind them.

She turned to look over her shoulder, shooting him a look that he was sure meant to in no way be tempting, but was entirely too alluring for their own good. Her lips quirked up, and without further explanation, she dove into the cool water of the lake, body arching flawlessly in the air, the movement as graceful as ever.

She popped from the surface a moment later, wet hair clinging to her face. "Bellamy be...chill," she said the word uncomfortably, clearly not sure if it was used right. She smiled shyly at Bellamy's searching look. "Charlotte teach I English."

He smirked amusedly, shaking his head at the girl.

"No monsters," she said to remind him, clearly trying to entice him to follow her, waving him into the water. He sighed, deciding that, what the hell? He only had one life, may as well make the most of it.

He toed off his boots, grasping the hem of his shirt and tugging it over his head.

Vala's eyes roamed the man's bare torso hungrily. She was no innocent, there'd been a small handful of men in her past. Mostly passer by's in towns on the outskirts of the clan territory, or rouge bandits with whom her experience was less than consensual. None of them, however, were quite like Bellamy the Sky boy.

He leapt, far less graceful than she, landing with a massive splash. Vala giggled as she waited for him to pop up, and eventually he did, grinning, teeth glinting in the moonlight. He chuckled, feeling much younger than his twenty-three years.

"No bad, huh?" she mused softly, playfully splashing him in the face.

He laughed again, splashing her back impishly, loving the sound of her carefree giggle as it filled the small area around the lake. She splashed him again, wagging her eyebrows mischievously when he cleared the water from his eyes.

"That's it," he said gruffly, lurching forwards, his large, warm hand snatching up both of her wrists. She squeaked in amusement, knowing she could break out of his hold with a single well aimed kick, but trusting him implicitly even though she'd known him but a few days.

He tugged her against him, grinning at her wolfishly in the moonlight as she playfully struggled against him. He laughed lowly, watching her with fondness.

She finally stopped wriggling, meeting his eyes. The kohl around hers was smudged from the water, and he brought his free hand up, hypnotised by her intelligent gaze as he brushed his thumb along the sharp angle of her cheekbone, smoothing away the war paint.

Vala was mesmerised. She'd known Bellamy was attractive, she'd have to be _blind_ not to notice, but standing in the middle of a lake in the moonlight, pressed up against him, feeling the warm, taut skin of his chest against hers and staring into his dark eyes, pupils blown as he stared back at her?

He was beautiful.

They were leaning in before either could help it, drawn together like magnets.

Luk snapped them out of it. He launched himself into the water, landing beside the tangled pair and sending a wall of water over them, once again completely drenching them.

" _Dam au, Luk,_ " she hissed at her dog, pulling away from the other human sharply, taking several steps backwards to prevent herself from once again being hypnotised by his unfair magnetism. " _Nau yu na wan op_."

Bellamy cleared his throat, rubbing a hand along the back of his neck. "What'd you say?" he asked lightly, hoping to break the tension.

She cleared her throat, glaring at Luk for good measure before turning to him with a small smile. "Say bad word," she admitted, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips.

"Teach me," he said eagerly, and she was bemused by the reaction.

"Teach Bellamy bad word?" she asked bewilderedly. He nodded, putting the moment of fiery tension behind them as he focused on the present. " _Dam au_ ," she annunciated slowly.

" _Dam au_ ," he echoed deliberately. "What does it mean?"

She paused, "Uh, no have your word."

"But it's bad?"

"Children no say," she confirmed with a nod.

He grinned widely. " _Dam au_ ," he repeated, and she found herself thinking that she liked the way the language of her people fell from his lips. They were silent for a time, Bellamy tracing shapes in the surface of the water as Vala idly scratched behind Luk's ear, the aging dog panting as he paddled to keep himself afloat. "You know, they didn't have pools on the Ark."

She looked up, watching him curiously as he continued to idly toy with the water.

"Water was a precious commodity," he continued lightly, knowing she didn't know the words, but eager to get them off his chest anyway. "We only got two minute long showers, and drinking water was rationed as thinly as possible. None of us have ever swum before."

She thought she got the basic gist of what he was saying. "Sound bad," she said, absolutely not meaning it to be harsh in any way. He knew this, lips tipping up at the brutal honesty of her words.

"Yeah," he nodded with an amused smirk. "That's one word for it."

Vala's arms moved back and forth under the water, enjoying the feeling on it running over her skin. "When be child, I stare to stars, dream to go," she said conversationally, feeling like since he told her something about his past, she should do the same. "Now I meet Sky boy from stars," she smiled over at him, before dipping under the water and popping back up with an even bigger grin. "Funny."

"I used to stare at the earth, imagining the sun on my face or the wind in my hair, or the way it would feel to swim in a lake," he revealed quietly, eyes sweeping the surrounding area with barely contained awe. "I never dreamed I'd ever see it, let alone that there would be people surviving on the surface. Or that I'd meet one."

" _Bilaik fatelei,"_ she murmured to him, and he looked back at her curiously. "Uh, Sky word be... _fatelei_?" she attempted, and though it shouldn't have made sense, his eyes lit up in understanding.

"Fate, huh?" he hummed, smirking widely. "That's one hell of a pickup line." Vala's brows furrowed confusedly, and he chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "Don't worry," he told her fondly.

Feeling the urge to keep talking (something she rarely got the chance to do), she looked back up at the starry sky. "See?" she asked, pointing at a constellation above them. "It be dog."

"What?"

"Uh, star shape," she said as clearly as she could. "Dog. Be like Luk."

"You mean constellations?" he concluded, narrowing his eyes up at the stars, trying to see any kind of dog in their positioning. "My mom used to tell me about those." He caught sight of a familiar one in the sky. "See there?" he asked, pointing to the stars. "They call that one the Big Dipper."

"Big...Dipper...?" she echoed slowly, eyes tracing the shape.

"And that one over there? We call it Ursa Major," he told her calmly, glancing at her, watching as she clearly desperately wanted to take in the information, but struggled understanding the words.

His eyes roamed her form, bobbing slightly in the water.

Luk whined from beside him, nose snuffling against his bare chest. He looked down at the dog in surprise, raising an eyebrow at his actions. "Huh," Vala mused from where she stood an arm's length away, eyes leaving the sparkling stars to glance at Bellamy and her best friend in surprise. "Luk like Bellamy," she murmured in amazement. "Luk no like _anyone_."

The leader of the Sky people smiled devilishly, reaching out to run a large hand over the dog's soggy fur. "Well, I like him too," he assured her, scratching behind Luk's ear.

A mischievous smile lit up on her pretty face, and she splashed him again while he was distracted. Letting out a guffaw, Bellamy spun to face her, eyeing her in the soft glow of the moonlight. She giggled, wagging her eyebrows at him playfully before ducking under the water.

Smiling after her, he felt, for the first time in a long time, like things were finally looking up.


	6. Creating Chaos

**A/N: Hey guys, hope you like this chapter, please let me know your thoughts :)**

 _Creating chaos just to prove we're alive_

 _Demolition of a delicate kind_

 _Midnight confessions keep on blurring the line_

 _Say you're here on my side_

 _Want you here on my side_

 _You keep my heart under the cover of night_

 _Could be the devil in a clever disguise_

 _Temptation leads us, it's too late for goodbye_

State of Seduction – Digital Daggers

* * *

The closer they got to camp, the louder the shouts became.

Vala and Bellamy had stayed in the water for hours, until their skin wrinkled. Then, when Bellamy suggested they dry off before heading back, they sat in the glow-worm cave until sunrise. Bellamy did most of the talking, Vala having trouble finding the correct words. He spoke of Octavia, and his mother; how much he missed them.

He got gruff at times, realising he was opening up – which made him instantly uncomfortable. But then Vala would look over at him, big caramel eyes shining in the glow from the bugs lining the cave, and before he knew what he was doing, he'd be talking again, words continuing to spill from his mouth.

Eventually the words stopped coming. He couldn't remember speaking so much in one sitting before, much less to someone he'd known only a few short days. He felt like a weight had lifted from his chest, and, looking over at Vala as they tackled the short walk back to camp, he realised he couldn't imagine not having the wild Grounder girl in his life.

She may not have spoken much, but she listened, and that was more than most people had ever done before.

He felt content and happy, for once allowing a soft smile to overtake his features.

Then he heard the screams, and the peace warming his chest evaporated into nothing, replaced by a cold, wary feeling. He sped up, barely noticing that Vala bristled beside him, staff sliding from it's place on her back, staring vigilantly into the misty morning air of the forest as they raced towards camp.

They didn't have to get all the way there to know what was wrong. Along the East perimeter, where they always had a guard keeping watch, was a crowd of kids gathered around something on the ground.

Bellamy pushed his way through the throng, Vala on his heels.

Clarke was on the forest floor, leaning over the body of a boy. Vala didn't recognise him, but the blonde healer had tears running down her cheeks as she pointlessly checked for a pulse, so he must have at least been important to her. "Wells," Clarke cried, her voice breaking in pure pain. "What happened?" she asked, and Vala wasn't sure who she expected to answer.

"Ask _her_."

She didn't realise they were talking about her until she glanced to the side, seeing the frog boy glaring accusingly in her direction. Her brows furrowed in confusion, eyes sliding across the gathered crowd as whispers broke out amongst the children.

"Hey!" Bellamy snapped harshly, shifting his weight like he was going to step in front of her, but changing his mind at the last second and staying where he was.

"What?" frog boy growled defensively, glowering at Vala with unadulterated disdain. "Jaha gets murdered outside of camp, stabbed in the jugular with precision, and you're _not_ going to look at the Grounder in our midst with suspicion?" he asked incredulously.

"She didn't do it," Bellamy hissed back, glaring the crowd into silence.

"Well we don't have any proof she _didn't_ ," he countered smartly.

"She's been with _me_ since we got back last night," he revealed, and once more the crowd broke out into gossipy whispers.

Frog face sneered in something like disgust. "Really? Less than a week on earth and you're already fucking the first thing you find with a pulse-"

Murphy was cut off by the end of Vala's wooden staff as it slammed into his nose. He cried out, blood beginning to pour from his nostrils as he held his extremity.

"What the fuck?!" he cried as though he'd done nothing wrong. "You crazy _bitch_!"

"No be rude," Vala snapped, holding the stick up threateningly. He flinched away, scowling when the person behind him giggled.

"Look," Bellamy began, deciding to deal with Murphy later. For now, he had to address the crowd. "It's obvious who did this!" His statement was met with silence. "The Grounders! This is clearly some kind of warning!"

"Well, what're we gonna do?" a tall kid in the back asked loudly.

Bellamy was quiet for a moment, contemplating the question. "We're going to start by building a wall. It'll give us some protection from any attacks, and we'll start hourly patrols." He paused, glancing at Vala. "We'll also start combat practise. Vala and I will take small groups at a time and teach you how to defend yourselves in hand-to-hand situations."

"How do we know Grounder girl won't sabotage us?" a girl with a large pointed nose asked from the side. "How can we trust her?"

"You don't need to trust _her_ ," Bellamy said, voice laced with authority. "You only need to trust _me_."

Mutters broke out amongst the crowd, but the majority of the people seemed content with his response, nodding to themselves as they eyed their leader with respect.

The first thing they had to do was bury Wells. Clarke insisted on digging the grave herself, struggling for several hours to move the dirt from the hole she was making, trying not to look at Wells' body where it sat only feet away from her.

Bellamy got everyone to start building the wall, but sent Vala with Clarke. The Grounder sat off to the side, idly twirling her dagger around her fingers as she watched over the blonde sky girl, carefully listening for any hint of an oncoming attack.

After a long time of silence, the air only filled with Clarke's occasional sniffle, Vala decided to try and make conversation. "Clarke Wells be friends?" she asked quietly, and for a moment Clarke didn't acknowledge her, and she thought she would just ignore her.

"Yeah," the blonde finally nodded, voice breaking as she continued to shovel dirt. "Best friends."

"I Luk best friends," she stated with a soft smile, trying to relate. Clarke shot her a dark look, and Vala felt oddly chastised. "No same," she allowed begrudgingly.

Clarke went back to her task. "He was a good person," she said suddenly, as though she were trying to convince the other girl of the fact. Vala looked over at her curiously. "I know everyone made it seem like he wasn't, but he _was_. He was kind, and gentle, and he wasn't the person the 100 made him out to be. He deserved more."

Vala wasn't sure how to reply. The blonde healer looked distraught, and she'd never been any good at the whole 'comfort' thing. "Wells be in peace," she told her reassuringly.

There was another minute of silence. "What do your people believe happens after death?" she asked, desperate to distract herself from feeling sick over what she was doing.

"No have people," Vala replied tightly, chin tilting up stubbornly.

"Okay," Clarke tried again. "What do _you_ believe happens after death?"

She was quiet for a moment, considering what she understood of the question. "Grounders say be born new family. I say we be in peace; we be with them we love."

The healer was silent, contemplating the warrior's words. "I hope you're right," she finally murmured, shovelling the last of the dirt to the side before turning to Vala. "Help me..." she hesitated, not liking what she was about to ask. "Help me lift him?"

Vala put down her things, patting Luk on the head from where he lay next to her before pushing herself to her feet. She took Wells' arms while Clarke took hold of his lower half. Together, with only minimal struggle, they managed to lift the boy's body up, depositing him none too gently into the shallow grave.

Clarke sniffled again, staring down at the corpse with thinly veiled sorrow.

Vala reached down to pick up the shovel, but the blonde stopped her, placing a firm hand over hers. "I can do it," she said, tone leaving no room for argument. She nodded, releasing the tool and moving back to her spot by the tree.

They were quiet again, Vala continuing to eye the forest for danger as Clarke shovelled dirt over her best friend's corpse.

To stop herself from breaking down any more than she already had, the blonde tried to make more conversation. "How do you feel about teaching us to fight?" she asked, voice thick with pain, but Vala ignored it.

"No be easy," she told her, picking up her dagger again and idly flipping it in the air in front of her. "Sky people no warrior. Sky people no training."

"What about you? What kind of training do you have?"

She shrugged. "I fight since I walk," she replied blankly. "All Grounders live by way."

"That doesn't sound like a very good way to grow up."

Vala frowned, never having considered there was another option. "Grounders not know other way," she said seriously, though she thought she knew what Clarke was saying. Maybe it wasn't a weakness in the Sky people, maybe it was a strength. Maybe it was a better way to live; not having to fight for every breath you take.

"What were your parents like?"

Vala could tell the girl was desperate for a distraction, so she continued to answer her questions as best as she could. "Great warriors; strong."

"But what were they like as parents?" she tried again, but Vala didn't understand what she was asking. "Were they nice? Were they kind? Did they love you?"

She shrugged again. "Am banished," she told her like it explained everything, which, as Clarke thought about it, it probably did.

"Vala?" the Grounder looked over at an approaching boy, a knife held in his hand. She stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to speak. "Bellamy said I'm meant to watch Clarke now," he said, eyeing the wild woman warily. "He wants to start training."

She turned to the healer still shovelling dirt, a pained frown on her pretty features. "Clarke be okay?" she asked in concern.

She attempted a smile, but the expression fell flat. "I'll be okay, Vala. Thank you."

With a reluctant nod, the Grounder stood to her feet, Luk whining as he copied the action, following after her in a trot. She made her way towards camp. The first thing she noticed was the beginnings of the wall being built along the perimeter, she nodded in silent approval, wandering around it until she found Bellamy standing in the middle of camp, talking with a small bunch of men who weren't working on the wall.

"Good, you're here," Bellamy said once he caught sight of her, waving her over to stand beside him.

She followed his instruction, moving over to her place. " _Luk, go sit by the metal cave_ ," she murmured to her companion, who whined but complied without complaint, marching over to the cave and taking a seat in the shade. A young girl reached forwards to try and pat him, but he bared his teeth at her warningly, and she instantly scooted away.

"Now," Bellamy began, bringing the small group's attention to him. "We'll be focusing mostly on hand to hand combat, seeing as how we don't exactly have a lot of weapons to choose from."

He continued on, first demonstrating how to throw a proper punch, how to block an attack, and then how to dodge. Once he knew they had the basics covered, they broke into pairs to begin sparring. One boy was left over, and Bellamy waved him over to Vala.

The kid looked terrified as he stared at the savage looking woman, literally shaking as he held up two loose fists. Vala put down her staff, standing opposite him and waiting for him to strike. The leader watched on, frowning when the boy made no move to attack. He placed a firm hand on his shoulder, murmuring something to him the Vala didn't catch, then stepping back.

Finally, the kid swung. Vala dodged it with practised ease, arm coming up to grasp his wrist, twisting until the boy cried out, then let go and stepped back.

"I'm never going to be able to beat her," the boy complained with displeased scowl.

"This isn't about beating her," Bellamy chastised him. "This is about learning." He turned to the girl, who was watching idly. "The Grounders, they can fight like you?" he asked, already knowing the answer, but wanting the boy to hear it from the source.

"Many be bigger, be stronger," she responded honestly.

"Will they fight to kill?"

"Yes."

"And how can we protect ourselves?"

Echo hesitated. "Teach how survive hit," she said, miming throwing a soft punch. "Teach how survive."

Bellamy turned back to the boy. "Try again," he instructed, and though he looked reluctant, the kid nodded, balling his hands into fists and holding them up readily.

He threw a punch that Vala once again ducked with ease.

"Again."

He threw another.

"Again."

And another.

"Again."

* * *

"Hey." Vala looked up from where she was sharpening her daggers, staring expectantly at Octavia. "If I ask you to do something, will you promise not to tell Bellamy?" Vala wasn't sure she understood, so she merely nodded and remained silent. "I want to learn how to fight."

 _That_ she understood. "Bellamy no teach?" she asked confusedly, glancing across the fire at where the handsome leader stood talking by a tree with a young woman. He was grinning at her, and she had her chest pushed out provocatively. Vala scowled in disgust.

"He's so blinded by his instinct to keep me safe, he won't even think about letting me fight anyone, not even one of us."

Vala frowned. "Want I to...?" she trailed off, still not sure what she wanted from the conversation.

"Teach me how to throw daggers," she said eagerly. "Teach me hand-to-hand, defence, and stealth."

The Grounder hesitated, eyes sweeping the other brunette thoughtfully. "No easy," she finally said. So what if Bellamy said no? That was a stupid answer anyway. Why _shouldn't_ the girl learn to fight? Hell, she _had_ to if she wanted to survive on the ground.

"I know," Octavia nodded eagerly. "But I'm willing to learn. I'm willing to work myself to the bone."

Vala nodded, lips pursed considerately. "Find good staff," she instructed with a nod, gesturing to her own where it lay beside her. "I teach on morning."

Octavia practically squealed in excitement, and Vala couldn't help but smile.

She was making the right decision.

* * *

"Do-do you know anything about knots?" a small voice stammered, and Vala looked up from the knot she was tying, raising an eyebrow at the little girl she remembered was called Charlotte.

She looked between the girl and the knots she was tying, and if she'd known the word, she would have said _obviously_.

"Can you teach me?" she asked, twisting her hands together in front of her. Vala nodded, waving her closer. She didn't say anything, merely untying the knot she was working on then retying it slowly, so the little girl could understand.

Charlotte nodded once she thought she had it, reaching forwards to tie another piece of rope, thin brows furrowed in concentration. "Good," Vala nodded once she'd done the task, reaching forwards to tighten it slightly. Her hand brushed the girl's, and she let out a pained hiss. "See?" she asked, holding out her hand to look at the injury.

A large blister stretched along her palm, red and painful looking.

"See Clarke?" she suggested, nodding her head in the healer's direction.

"There's nothing she can do," the little one shook her head with a sigh. "It'll go away eventually."

Vala wanted to say something more, but before she could come up with anything, a piece of wood knocked her painfully in the back of the head. She turned, hand reaching for her knife, only to see it was just another camper, walking away and snickering to her friend under her breath.

It'd been happening more and more often over the last few days. There'd always been stares, but now she felt like eyes watched her wherever she went. They were passive-aggressively attacking her, bumping into her 'accidentally', and hitting her with pieces of wood.

She wasn't used to a social hierarchy, and she was even less used to being at the bottom of one. No matter what Bellamy said, the snide looks and glares of distrust hadn't stopped. He'd given up trying to fix things, mostly because Vala told him, in her broken English, not to say anything. She could handle a handful of sneering kids.

"Sorry," Charlotte muttered to her, and she looked to the child in confusion. "They shouldn't be so mean."

She shrugged indifferently. "I be okay," she assured her just as a boy carrying a large log suddenly collapsed, falling to his knees in pure exhaustion. She stepped forwards, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Okay?" she asked worriedly, wondering if she should call for Clarke.

Before he could answer, toad face was stalking towards them, sending an ugly sneer their way. "You think the Grounders are just going to sit around and wait for us to finish the wall?" he snapped furiously. "Maybe we should let the little girl do the lifting for you, huh?"

"I just need some water, okay?" the boy responded tightly. "Then I'll be fine."

"Murphy," Bellamy stepped in quickly. "Get this guy some water." He turned to Charlotte, gesturing to the large log pointedly. "You got this?" he asked her, and Vala frowned. Was he really asking the youngest girl in camp to do the heavy lifting? Charlotte nodded, stepping forwards to take the end of the log. Bellamy swooped in with an impish grin on his handsome face at the last second. "I'm just kidding," he told her kindly, and Vala felt something like relief.

Bellamy was a good man.

He glanced up at her, making an odd expression where he blinked with only one eye, confusing her to no end. She'd have to ask him about that later. Before she could go back to her small task of tying securing branches together, there was a loud exclamation from behind her.

Vala swung around to stare at the tired boy in alarm. Frog face had his dick out, and was pissing directly onto the poor kid's back. In a shout of anger and disgust, he shot up, stepping forwards to shove the ugly toad in a rage. "I'm going to kill you," he said with a sneer.

"You said you wanted a water break," frog face responded with an unattractive smirk.

The kid was being held back by his lackeys, struggling against their hold. Anger surged inside Vala at the sheer injustice of it all, and before she knew what she was doing she was shoving frog face to the side, baring her teeth at him in an animalistic snarl.

"Asshole," she growled, and though he looked angry, a faint trace of amusement appeared on his face.

"Looks like you're learning more from Bellamy than just tricks in bed," he spoke up. If Vala had understood what he'd said, she would have lashed out, but as it was, she merely snarled at him once more before turning back to Charlotte who was watching on with worry. " _Get back to work_!" Frog face shouted to the small gathered crowd, sending everyone scrambling to do as they were told.

Charlotte and Vala worked together in silence, both tying rope after rope around the thick branches. "So, how did you find Luk?" Charlotte asked, trying to take her mind off what had just happened in front of her.

"Luk be runt on pack," she responded, glancing over to Luk where he sat by the cave. He was slowly getting used to all the other people. He never went out of Vala's sight, but he didn't mind trotting around camp, exploring the area and sniffing out new people. He had yet to allow someone to pet him without snapping his jaws, but she figured it was a work in progress. "I save Luk. Be friends. Now be family."

" _He_ was the _smallest_?" Charlotte asked, staring over at the large animal in surprise.

"Brothers and sisters be _much_ big," she nodded with a small smile. There was still so much the Sky people needed to learn about the ground.

"Vala," a hand gently touched her arm, and she looked over at the newcomer sharply, relaxing instantly when she realised it was just Bellamy. He had a hard look on his face, eyes sweeping the camp carefully. "Come with me."

"Charlotte be okay?" she asked the youngster, and the girl barely had a chance to nod before Bellamy was pulling the older woman away, off towards his own tent – the largest of all the shelters in camp.

Vala had been sleeping against a tree by the metal cave. It was close to Bellamy's tent, something he'd insisted upon – something about not wanting to risk one of the 100 snapping and doing anything to her out of fear.

They stepped inside the spacious shelter, and a she was surprised to see Octavia and Jasper standing within. "I'll go get Clarke," Bellamy told them, ducking back out of the tent.

"How Jasper be?" Vala asked the boy, trying to make conversation. He flinched away from her when she spoke, immediately sending a hurt feeling through her chest. The only contact he'd had with grounders was when one speared him through the chest. She shouldn't have been surprised that he didn't trust her – hell, so few of the Sky people did – but it still hurt.

"He's better," Octavia told her with an apologetic smile, stepping closer to her Grounder friend.

The two girls had gotten close in a way none had suspected. Octavia was drawn to the savage and wild woman, excited by the danger and thrill she presented. That faded as the week wore on. She, like so many others in camp, had tried to teach her English, finding the results hilarious. Vala was glad to have a friend in Octavia, the girl who had grown up in one room, wanting to experience more – everything life had to offer.

Like she'd begged, they'd begun sparring a few times a day. They worked just behind the metal cave. Vala had trouble finding the words to explain things to her, so she mostly just taught through experience, letting her figure out how to defend herself alone. Octavia was fantastic at it; she was quick on her feet, strong in her swing, and smart in her decisions.

Vala enjoyed their time together, the only sounds filling the small clearing were Octavia's heavy breathing and the _thwack_ of their wooden staffs when they hit each other.

The Grounder was brought from her thoughts when the pretty blonde girl appeared in the entrance to Bellamy's tent, a frown on her pretty features. "What's going on, Bellamy?" she asked worriedly, stepping into the space and giving the leader room to slide in behind her.

"O was taking Jasper for a walk to stretch his legs," Bellamy began, sending his sister a glance that clearly said they'd be talking about _that_ later. "And they found this." He gestured to the knife and two fingers on his small makeshift table, everyone staring at the items with frowns.

"This knife was made of metal from the drop ship," Clarke gasped, eyeing the makeshift dagger with disgust, turning it over in her hands warily.

"What do you mean?" Jasper murmured quietly, eyes wide with horror.

"Who else knows about this?" Bellamy asked softly.

"No one," his sister assured him. "We brought it straight here."

Jasper sucked in a shaky breath, "Clarke?"

"It means the Grounders didn't kill Wells," the blonde healer said with steely resolve. "It was one of us."

"So there's a murderer in the camp?"

"There's _more_ than one murderer in this camp," Bellamy shook his head, hands placed firmly on his hips. "This isn't news. We need to keep it quiet."

Clarke didn't listen, turning on her heel and heading straight for the entrance flap. The leader stepped in her way, grasping her lightly around her arms. "Get out of my way Bellamy," she said darkly, an unspoken threat in her eyes.

"Clarke," he replied. "Be smart about this. Look at what we've achieved. The wall, the patrols. Like it or not, thinking the Grounders killed Wells is good for us."

"Oh, good for _you_ you mean," she hissed back furiously. "What? Keep people afraid and they'll work for you? Is that it?"

"Yeah, that's it. But it's good for all of us. Fear of the Grounders is building that wall. Besides, what are you going to do? Just walk outside and ask the killer to step forward? We don't even know whose knife that is."

"Oh really? JM," she read, holding up the knife with the letters scratched onto the inside. "John Murphy. The people have a right to know."

"Clarke!" Vala shouted. She got the basic idea of what was going on, and she knew that if the girl flew out there accusing frog face, then things would get very bad, very quickly.

"Not now, Vala," the blonde snapped back dismissively, shoving past her and out into the cool air of the day. She huffed, meeting Bellamy's eyes for a moment before turning and heading after her.

She thundered through camp, heading for the idiot kid who was standing by the fresh water.

"Son of a _bitch_!" she snarled, slamming into frog face, sending him beck several steps. He laughed gleefully, intrigued by her attack. "Recognise _this?_ " she snapped, holding up the makeshift knife.

"That's my knife, where'd you find it?"

"Where you dropped it after you killed Wells."

"Where I _what_?" Whispers broke out through the crowd. "The Grounders killed Wells, not me."

"I know what you did. And you're going to pay for it."

"Really?" he asked, tone bored. "Bellamy!" he shouted lazily, looking over at the leader, who had approached the exchange, standing off to the side with his arms crossed over his chest. Vala shifted her weight from foot to foot, watching everything through narrowed eyes. "You really believe this crap?!"

Bellamy smartly stayed silent, jaw clicking as he waited.

"You threatened to kill him," Clarke snarled. "We _all_ heard you. You _hated_ Wells."

"Plenty of people hated Wells," he retorted. "His father was the Chancellor that locked us _up!_ "

"Yeah, but you're the only one that got in a knife fight with him!"

"I didn't kill him then either."

"Tried to kill Jasper too!" Octavia shouted from her place next to her brother.

"This is ridiculous," frog face snapped, and Vala's hand darted to the hilt of her dagger, fingers curling around it cautiously. "I don't have to answer to you. I don't have to answer to _anyone_!"

"Come again?" Bellamy asked calmly.

They continued to talk, Murphy desperately trying to convince them of his innocence, Bellamy shrugging and Clarke shouting to the crowd. The words were mostly lost on Vala, who struggled to keep up at the best of times.

"I say we float him!" one kid from the group shouted, calls of agreement sweeping through them. Vala wasn't sure what floating was, but she knew there had to be punishment. She might not have agreed with many of her old people's ways, but there was one that stuck with her over the years.

 _Jus drein jus daun._

Blood must have blood.

"That's not what I'm saying!" Clarke argued loudly, feeling what little control she possessed slipping from her grasp.

"Why not? He deserves to float. It's justice."

"Revenge isn't justice!"

"Float him! Float him! Float him!" the people began to chant.

Not sure what was happening, Vala joined in, copying the words and shouting them into the air. Octavia's hand came up to her shoulder, and she looked over at the younger girl, frowning when she shook her head, silently telling her to stop.

So it _wasn't_ a good thing?

Before she knew what was happening, they were flying in, punching and kicking any part of frog face that they could get ahold of. _Now_ she understood. They wanted vengeance, not justice. Yes, blood must have blood; but the death of one did not deserve torture.

Octavia dove forwards, but Vala knew she wasn't strong enough to make it through the throng of rowdy children, all shouting and kicking in rage. She grasped her new friend's arms, holding her back in safety.

He was wrapped up in ropes and thrown over the tree. Vala had never seen anyone hanged before, she'd only heard about it happening. The clan was usually much more...creative...in their executions.

"You can stop this! They'll listen to you," Clarke begged Bellamy.

Vala couldn't see a way out other than for the boy to die. The people wouldn't be stopped now, they were in too deep. The only way to achieve peace from here was to let things take their course.

"Bellamy!" a kid shouted at his leader. "You should do it!"

They began chanting his name excitedly, eager to get their revenge. Clarke yelled to Bellamy over the shouts, begging him to reconsider. His jaw clenched, eyes sliding between the blonde and the guilty man. After a long moment his sight fell on Vala. The wild girl winced, but nodded her head nonetheless.

Blood must have blood.

"This is on you, Princess," he spat at the shorter girl, kicking the box out from under frog-face mercilessly, making him drop, held up only by the rope around his throat, choking him. "You should have kept your mouth shut!"

"What the hell are you doing?!" a new voice shouted, and Vala looked over at the one they called Spacewalker, leaning out of the way as a wave of people pushed past her. "Cut him down!"

"Stop! Okay? Stop! Murphy _didn't_ kill Wells!"

Everyone fell silent, turning to look at the young girl named Charlotte, who was staring at the group with wide eyes.

" _I_ did!"


	7. Can't See The Light

_All those times we looked up at the sky_

 _Looking out so far, it felt like we could fly_

 _And now I'm all alone in the dark of night_

 _And the moon is shining, but I can't see the light._

Stars – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

* * *

There was a dramatic gasp that resonated through the crowd, and Clarke jumped into immediate action, snatching the axe from Bellamy's waist and cutting down the toad faced boy from the tree. He dropped unceremoniously to the forest floor, painfully sucking air into his bruised throat.

Bellamy couldn't have cared less about the furious, half-conscious boy on the ground, his sole attention on Charlotte as he fought his way through the crowd to get to her.

There were too many people between them, and people were already heading for the little thing who was shaking like a leaf. Making a snap decision that she was sure to regret, Vala dove forwards, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders and dragging her gently into her side.

Her free hand went to her knife, and she slipped it from it's place at her thigh, brandishing it in front of her defensively, prepared to attack to keep Charlotte safe.

Yes, it was true; blood must have blood. But Vala knew what it was like to kill at a young age, and she only wished she'd been given the second chance she knew they could offer Charlotte. Besides, there _had_ to be a good reason.

Finally Bellamy made it to their side, pressing a hand to the small of Vala's back and leading her – and by extension, Charlotte – away from the crowd surrounding Murphy. Not a moment later they were in his tent, away from the prying eyes of the seething mob led by a bitter frog faced boy.

Without invitation, Clarke shoved into the space, though nobody seemed to mind. The newcomer she vaguely recognised as Finn slid in after her, arms crossed as he stared at them with a pinched expression.

Bellamy sighed, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose to calm himself down. "Charlotte, what do you mean you killed Wells?" he asked, hoping it was all some huge misunderstanding.

"I mean I was the one who stabbed him in the throat," she responded shakily, eyes shooting between them all fearfully. Clarke looked like she was ready to be sick.

"Bring out the girl, Bellamy!" Murphy's sour voice called from outside where he no doubt stood with backup.

" _Why_ Charlotte?" Bellamy questioned, tone almost begging, desperate to understand.

"I was just trying to slay my demons, like you told me!" she said, staring up at him hopefully before she looked over at Vala, eyes shining with unshed tears. "And be brave, like _you_ said."

"What the _hell_ is she talking about?" Clarke hissed furiously, glaring at them accusingly.

"She misunderstood me," he replied helplessly, hands on hips as he turned to eye the girl wildly. "Charlotte, that is _not_ what I meant."

"Bring the girl out now!" Frog boy's shout made them flinch.

"Please don't let them hurt me!" Charlotte begged fearfully.

Bellamy sighed. "If you guys have any bright ideas, speak up," he continued harshly, grinding his teeth together anxiously. Nobody spoke, silence filling the makeshift tent. Vala shifted her weight, still staying close to Charlotte's side, not willing to let her away from her for even a moment. " _Now_ you stay quiet?!" he growled incredulously.

"Those are _your_ boys out there," Finn countered sharply.

Bellamy bristled. "This is not my fault," he hissed. "If she'd listened to me, those idiots would still be building the wall!"

"Hey! You wanna build a society, Princess?!" Murphy shouted from outside. "Let's build a society! Bring her out!"

" _No_!" Charlotte whimpered, leaning further into Vala's side. "Please Bellamy."

The leader took a deep, steadying breath, turning to kneel in front of the girl, gently curling his long fingers around her small shoulders. "Charlotte, it's gonna be okay," he promised her. "Just stay with them," he glanced at Clarke and Finn with a frown before looking up at the Grounder girl. "Stay where Vala can protect you."

Charlotte sniffled but nodded, watching the man closely.

He stood to his feet, meeting Vala's caramel gaze. "You know these woods well?" he asked softly, ensuring they wouldn't be overheard.

"Well like I hands," she nodded as she held up her hand, and by the brief dumbfounded expression on his face, she knew she'd gotten the common English expression wrong.

"Take Charlotte away," Bellamy continued. "If things go bad, take her and hide her. I'll come find you once the whole thing's blown over."

She didn't quite understand all of it, but she got the basic gist. "Hide Charlotte," she breathed with an assuring nod, and he nodded back, sending her a silent expression of thanks.

With a glance back at Finn and Clarke, he tapped Charlotte lightly on the nose before slipping from the tent, stepping out to face the angry Murphy.

"Where will we go?" Finn murmured to distract Charlotte from the shouts outside the tent.

" _Trimani klir_ ," Vala replied, and he was confused for only a brief moment before remembering their exchange in the forest only a few days prior.

"What?" Clarke asked, but before anyone could answer, the shouts outside grew in volume. Charlotte jumped in fear, burrowing her head in Vala's side.

"We go," the Grounder hissed, slipping her staff from it's place on her back, holding it in front of her protectively, other hand wrapped comfortingly around the little girl. "Now."

Finn led the way, lifting the material at the back of the tent up, allowing the girls to slip through first.

She spun around, stopping Luk as he made to follow them. " _Luk stay,_ " she told him gently in their language, reaching up to rub behind his ear. " _Stay and be safe. Protect Bellamy._ "

The faithful dog gave a yip of acknowledgement, and with a final smile she ducked out into the open air.

"Be hush," she whispered in Charlotte's ear as they tiptoed away from the camp. The girl nodded, swallowing thickly. "Run," she added once they were far enough away, reaching down to take her hand, using it to pull her along at a faster speed. Clarke and Finn followed behind them, sprinting through the rough terrain that only Vala was used to.

Shouts from the camp echoed around them, but they took no notice, putting their trust in Vala as she led them hastily away from the angry mob.

They ran for a good half hour, only taking short minute-long stops so the Sky people – not in as good as shape as the Grounder girl – could rest.

"It's going to be night soon, guys," Clarke huffed once the shadows began to get longer, night quickly approaching. " _Where_ are we going? At least tell me you have a plan and we're not just wandering aimlessly through the woods."

"Have plan, Clarke," Vala told the blonde girl, not taking the time to look over her shoulder, so all she could see of her were her thick but intricate braids, trinkets woven through the threads. Charlotte had fallen back, still staying close to Vala, but knowing the girl was on edge, paying too much attention to the forest to worry about her.

"You know these woods well?" she asked, even though Bellamy had already asked. She recognised some landmarks, but most trees just looked identical. She could never imagine knowing one clearing from another.

"Yes," she responded curtly, distracted as her eyes swept the trees.

Things were quiet for a beat. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Clarke suddenly shouted, making Finn and Vala finally look back, to see her ripping her hand from Charlotte's grasp. "Just because we saved you, doesn't mean you're forgiven," she spat at the girl. "Got it?" Finn said her name sternly, and the blonde looked over at him sharply. "What?" she asked defensively.

"She's just a kid," he said with a frown as Charlotte slowly shuffled across the space, once more burying her face in Vala's middle, desperate for some kind of comfort.

"She's a killer!" she turned to glare accusingly at the girl. "You _killed_ someone Charlotte. Ended his _life_! Did you stop to think about that for even one second? _Look_ at me. You can't just kill someone to make yourself feel better."

Feeling annoyingly protective, Vala tugged Charlotte out of Clarke's range, baring her teeth warningly, letting a snarl past her chapped lips.

" _Charlotte!_ " frog face's voice bounced off the trees, fury clear in his tone.

"We should run," Clarke muttered flatly.

"That's one way to do it," Finn mumbled. "I like my plan better," the boy bent over, reaching for the latch to the abandoned shelter. He pulled the door up, the metal groaning in protest. "Get in," he instructed, waving them into the eery darkness of the shelter. Charlotte went first, dropping into the room loudly, Clarke following only a moment later. "Vala, you're up," he said, gesturing for her to dive in after them.

"I stay by ground," she argued, shaking her head.

"What?" he asked with a frown.

"Hide trees, see frog face. I protect," she said, and he looked unsure.

"Finn," Clarke hissed from the darkness, making the decision for him. "Come on."

He frowned, sending her a concerned look. "Stay safe," he nodded to her.

" _Kamp raun klir_ ," she responded in her own language, how it felt more sincere. His lips twitched as he descended the ladder, moving down into the safety of the shelter. The hatch closed after him, locking out all sound and leaving her in the pressing, but familiar and comforting silence of the forest.

It was getting dark, and Vala found herself missing Luk. It was rare they were ever separated, and each time it happened she hated it even more.

She grasped a low hanging branch, pulling herself up the tree with practised ease. She settled into a fork near the top of the tree, her ragged clothing blending right in with the leaves.

She sat for a long time, well into the night. The group of vengeful boys got close a few times, but not close enough that she worried about getting down, instead just staying in her spot until, finally, they strayed close to the entrance to the shelter.

She leapt from the tree, landing catlike on the damp ground.

A small boy near the back noticed her first, and she merely stared back stonily, face betraying nothing. "Murphy!" he shouted, alerting the ringleader to her presence.

They spun around, flaming torches pointed at her. "Ah – if it isn't Grounder girl. I imagine we're close to the little bitch and her princess protection service then, huh? I mean, we have to be if they sent the muscle to take care of things." He broke off with an ugly sneer. "You might be brave, and you might have skill, but you think you can fight off all five of us at once?" he asked menacingly.

She smirked. She didn't have to be stronger; she just had to be faster.

Without a warning she turned and legged it into the depths of the forest. Her eyes, used to the darkness – adjusted easily as she slipped between trees and over rocks, feet hitting the soft forest floor quietly as she ran.

They were dumb enough – or maybe just angry enough – to chase her. They weren't as fast, and they had no hope of catching her, but she supposed it was the better option than walking through the woods aimlessly looking for a small child.

She lost them easily enough, taking a few sharp turns then climbing a tall tree, hiding atop the canopy until they ran past, the light of their torches becoming dots in the distance. She climbed back down, taking a moment to breathe deeply as she glanced up at the sky.

Then she was running again, back in the direction of the shelter. It was a long walk, but she ran it, halving the time it took. She was getting tired by the time she arrived back to where she'd been before. She may have been in good shape, but even _she_ had her limits.

Knowing she should check on the little one, she opened the hatch. "It be Vala," she called the moment it was open, letting them know it was her so they didn't do anything rash.

"Huh?" Clarke's voice floated up to her, sounding sleepy and distracted. She peered down into the warm light of the shelter. She was silent, waiting for them to reply, then Clarke shouted, "Oh my God! Finn, wake up! Charlotte's missing!"

"Charlotte gone?" Vala hissed, and Clarke responded affirmatively.

Swearing to herself in Trigedasleng, she jumped into a standing position, not bothering to wait for the pair still in the shelter before hightailing it back into the forest. She didn't bother looking for the girl's prints; it was too dark to see anything clearly, and she didn't have access to a torch.

She ran, heading further and further into the woods, hoping that maybe she would come across _something_ to tell her where she had gone.

She finally found the clue in the form of a scream. She changed directions, instantly heading for the source of the noise. She found Charlotte quickly, only slightly surprised to see Bellamy was with her. She appeared from the tree line, making Charlotte jump with fright. "Hush," Vala shushed her, glancing over her shoulder, hoping she wouldn't see the glow of the bad guys' torches.

She was surprised, then, when the young girl let out a piercing scream. "I'm over here!" she hollered into the darkness, clearly for some reason _wanting_ them to find her.

"Charlotte," Vala snapped irritatedly. "Hush."

"Come get me!" she screamed, the sound hurting Vala's ears. She looked over her head at Bellamy, who shook his head helplessly, not having any idea.

"Charlotte! We're trying to help you," he growled, holding her still as she attempted to wriggle from his grasp.

"I'm not your sister," she snapped harshly, the words stinging Bellamy in an odd way. "Just _stop_ helping me!" She ripped herself from his grasp, darting for where Vala could see the faint glow of fire. "I'm over here!" she wailed.

Vala stepped forwards, grasping the tiny girl by the shoulder, leaning down to look directly into her eyes. "Are you trying to get us all killed?" Bellamy hissed from behind her, glancing warily at the approaching men.

"Please just _go!_ I'm the one they want," she begged. Vala wasn't sure what was happening. Charlotte _wanted_ to get caught?

Bellamy grasped the girl's lapels, pulling her from Vala's grasp and into his own. "Okay, listen to me," he began seriously, meeting her eyes in the darkness. "I. Won't. Leave. You," he promised, nods punctuating each word.

She looked like she was going to give in, but then she gave the older boy a heartbreaking look. " _Please_ Bellamy," she cried, before turning and once more screaming in the direction of the approaching group.

In a last ditch effort to save her, he hoisted her up, throwing the little thing over his shoulder and legging it in the opposite direction. Charlotte continued to scream, but he and Vala ignored her, focusing their attention on running as fast and as far as they could.

She continued to scream, and, weighed down by the girl he was carrying, Bellamy wasn't very fast. Soon enough the group of bitter boys were catching up to them, their torches more than faint glows in the distance.

"Run," Vala grunted at the leader, who grunted back, trying his hardest to speed up, even as Charlotte twisted and wriggled, trying to get out of his grip.

She was so focused on getting ground between the two groups, that she didn't realise where they were heading until it was too late.

"No!" she shouted, just as they came to the edge of the cliff, the drop sheer and dangerous, certain to kill any who may fall.

Bellamy cursed, finally putting the young girl back on her own feet, just as frog face barrelled into view. "Bellamy!" he shouted angrily, spotting the tall leader who glared back at him defiantly. "You can't fight all of us, not even with your little Grounder whore as backup," he sneered, "give her up."

Bellamy paused, shooting Vala a side glance. She nodded to the unspoken question, reaching down to pull her dagger from it's place at her thigh. She held it in front of her, a silent warning to the boys. "Maybe not," Bellamy continued, muscles coiled as he prepared to fight. "But I guarantee we'll take a few of you with us."

"Bellamy, _stop_!" a new but familiar voice shouted. Clarke dashed onto the cliff, shoving past Murphy and his lackeys uncaringly. She paused, turning to look at Murphy sternly. "This has gone too far," she told him darkly. "Just calm down; we'll talk about this."

He was silent for a beat, seeming to consider the offer before he dove, grabbing the blonde and tugging her to him, blade of his knife pressed up against her jugular. "I'm _sick_ of listening to you talk," he sneered in her ear.

Vala didn't know what to do. The code of her people said to attack, lives lost were simply casualties of war. But her own, personal code, said she couldn't let Clarke get hurt. So, against her instincts, she followed her heart and stayed exactly where she was, knife brandished defensively in front of her, positioned slightly in front of Charlotte, prepared to attack at a moment's notice.

"Let her go!" Finn demanded, stepping forwards.

"I will _slit her throat_ ," Murphy threatened, instantly making the boy take a placating step back.

"Please," Charlotte spoke up, ducking out of Vala's protective hold and facing frog face head on. "Please don't hurt her," she begged, tears in her eyes.

"Don't hurt her?" he asked, a menacing glint in his eye. "Okay, I'll make you a deal. You come with me right now, I will let her go."

There was a tense pause. "Don't do it Charlotte," Clarke said strongly, not daring to move an inch as the blade dug deeper into her flesh.

Despite the blonde's words, she made to take a step forwards. Vala used her free hand to grasp the child by the shoulders, stopping her from moving. Bellamy did the same, ignoring her as she screamed and struggled.

"Murphy, this is _not_ happening," he growled at the bloody-faced boy, shaking his head.

Murphy sneered again, and Vala wondered if his face was permanently in that expression. "I can't let any of you get hurt any more," Charlotte spoke up before anyone could say anything else. "Not because of me. Not after what I did."

"We some days do bad thing, Charlotte," Vala whispered to her, a rare feeling of fear settling in her gut. "And we some days do two chance."

A tear trickled down the girl's smooth cheek. Without saying more, merely a regretful look back at the group, she spun around and dove from the cliff. Without thinking Vala lurched after her, hands reaching out only to grasp at air.

She felt herself overbalance, and for one fleeting second thought she too was about to fall to her death. Then a large, warm arm curled around her waist, catching her before she fell, pulling her back against a hard body.

She sucked in a breath, feeling lightheaded from the near-death experience. But she recovered quickly, instantly switching from relieved to mournful as she stared over the edge of the cliff, fruitlessly trying to see through the thick gloom.

She wondered if there was more she could have done. Something she could have said, had she known the words. Clarke cried from beside her, begging into the darkness like it would somehow bring the little one back.

The arm tightened around Vala's middle, and she felt breath on her cheek. She knew it was Bellamy, and the knowledge would have been interesting were they in any other situation. As it was, she leaned into the half-embrace, craving the comfort he was providing.

The moment of grief ended, but Vala knew it was far from over.

Bellamy stepped back, slowly letting his arm fall from her waist. She stepped back, knife clutched in her hand so tightly, her knuckles went white. The leader turned to face Murphy, face scarily blank.

"Bellamy-" a suddenly desperate and wary frog face said, hands held out placatingly. It sure was a change from the self-righteous display she'd seen moments earlier.

Vala considered attacking him herself, but they weren't _her_ people. So it wasn't her place. Thankfully, Bellamy stepped up, running at Murphy and tackling him to the ground as his minions did nothing but stand watch, not willing to get into a fight with the stronger leader.

"Bellamy!" frog face tried again as the man pummelled his face into the ground, fist no doubt shattering bone as it connected with his flesh.

"Bellamy! _Stop_!" Clarke shouted, horrified. The leader didn't so much as pause, landing punch after punch on Murphy's bloody face. "You'll _kill_ him!"

Blood must have blood.

But Charlotte had taken her own life. Yes, it was Murphy's fault of course, but what could they charge him with? Being a self-righteous dick?

She stepped forwards, wrapping her hands around Bellamy's arm. He ripped it from her grip, laying into the frog boy once more. Not to be deterred, Vala grasped his hand in hers when he pulled it up to swing. He froze, glancing up at her, eyes locking onto his blood covered fist as it was clutched gently in her two smaller hands.

"He deserves to die!" he shouted suddenly, turning back to face Murphy but not ripping his fist from Vala's hold.

" _No!_ " Clarke stepped in furiously. "We don't decide who lives and dies! Not down here!"

Bellamy paused, looking between the blonde and the broken boy on the ground. "So help me God, if you say the people have a right to decide-"

"No! I was wrong before. You were right," she cried, dismayed. "Sometimes it's dangerous to tell people the truth. But if we're going to survive down here, we can't just live by 'whatever the hell we want'. We need _rules_."

"And who makes those rules?" he countered gruffly. "Huh? You?"

"For now, _we_ make the rules," she responded evenly.

"So what then? We just take him back and pretend like it never happened?"

"No!" she shouted back, falling silent for a long moment, eyes shooting to the every face illuminated by the torches. Her eyes landed on Vala, standing back near a tree, keeping a watchful eye on Murphy, prepared to step in if necessary. An idea sprung to mind, and the thought made her sick, but she knew it was the only option. Eyes still on the lonely Grounder girl, she said, "We banish him."

Vala may have been almost entirely lost for the majority of the conversation, but there was one english word she was _very_ familiar with.

Banish.

The Trikru would have merely executed him, and she wasn't sure which was the kinder option. She'd been banished, and while she may have been _alive_ , she didn't have much of a _life_. But it was frog face, and any outcome where she didn't have to look upon him every day was a blessing, so she kept her mouth shut.

If the scavengers didn't find him, or the Reapers, then the clan would. Either way he wouldn't last two days by himself on the ground.

Bellamy surged forwards, grasping frog boy by his collar and hoisting him up, dragging him to the edge and holding him threateningly over the gloom. Clarke and the others cried out in worry, but Vala knew he wasn't going to do anything except scare the kid. It should have scared her, how accurately she could read Bellamy, like scribbles on a map.

"If I ever catch you near camp, we'll be back here," he warned mercilessly. "Understand?" Murphy nodded, glaring up at Bellamy with disdain. He threw the broken boy to the side, and the blood covered kid crumpled to the dirt helplessly. "As for the four of you, you can come back and follow me, or go off with him to die. Your choice," the leader continued to the remaining members of toad face's party.

Having said his piece, Bellamy turned and marched off into the woods, not even considering glancing back as he blindly moved deeper into the trees. Vala followed him without hesitation, barely sparing Murphy a glance herself before slipping past the group wielding torches and hopping easily over logs as she sped to reach her friend.

She stayed a few paces behind him, not sure whether he needed space or not. She decided to give it to him anyway.

She heard the others begin to follow them, all staying a safe distance away from their furious leader, allowing him time to cool off before they dared approach. Vala was nothing if not patient, and she was content to wait. Doing what she always did when she was anxious, she began to hum.

The sound was quiet, not loud enough to reach anyone but Bellamy, filling the thick, tense air with a much lighter energy. She wasn't doing it for anyone other than herself, but eventually Bellamy's harsh breaths slowed and his balled fists unclenched, the soft sound having an indescribable effect on him.

She decided to wait for him to say something, not wanting to push him before he was ready. She wasn't expecting the first thing out of his mouth to be a question.

"Why did you care so much about Charlotte?"

She looked over at him, edging closer to him so they could converse quietly without being overheard. She took a moment to process the foreign words, finding the meaning in them through a good shot at deductive reasoning.

Apparently she took too long to reply, because Bellamy hurried to fill the silence. "I mean, you'd only known her, what? A few days? Why were you so protective, why put yourself on the line for her? Most people would have let her die."

Vala pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I be Charlotte," she finally answered, a frown marring her kohl smudged features. Bellamy shot her a confused frown. "Many years back. I be Charlotte."

Understanding dawned on Bellamy's freckled face, realising what the wild girl was saying. "Because you killed someone at her age too," he deduced with a nod, brow furrowed as he considered her admission.

"Was no have two chance," Vala murmured gently, bounce suddenly gone from her step as she stared darkly into the gloomy forest, mind in another time. "Charlotte should got that." She was silent for a time, both of them taking in her words. She paused abruptly, deft feet coming to a stop. Bellamy stopped too, turning to look at her worriedly. "Charlotte, _yu gonplei ste odon_ ," she muttered suddenly, staring sorrowfully up at the moon, remorse colouring her tone.

He was only confused for a beat before he recalled her saying it several times before. "Your fight is over," he translated softly, also glancing up at the silvery orb, as though it would somehow connect him to the fallen little girl.

Moment of mourning over, she looked back at her darkened path and began walking once more.

It wasn't the first time somebody she'd cared about had died, and she knew it wouldn't be the last.


	8. Burning Like Fire

_You made up your mind_

 _Right before the sound can move_

 _Softly from your lips_

 _You leave behind_

 _A choice which once before you thought you could not resist_

 _You give what you have when you_

 _Decide that you_

 _Keep burning like fire_

 _It's burning you down_

Fire – Sleeping With Sirens

* * *

Clarke and Bellamy, now solidified in place as leaders, spoke to the gathered 100. They talked in low tones, laying out everything that had happened, and their reasons for banishing Murphy.

Vala watched from off to the side. Reunited with her best friend, she reclined against the trunk of a tree, one hand woven into Luk's soft fur. She admired the leaders for their strength and wisdom. As a general rule, she didn't have much respect for people in positions of authority. But something about Bellamy – Clarke too, she supposed – made her feel protected and appreciated, made her want to obey (to some extent, at least) and respect them.

Eventually the crowd dispersed, wandering to every edge of the camp, forming their own little groups.

Vala stayed where she was, barely paying attention, merely staring up at the sky. Her mother used to tell her, when she was really young, that if she couldn't sleep, she should count the stars. Vala might not have been trying to sleep, but it was a habit she'd picked up, something she did to centre herself.

She'd only gotten to fifty before she was interrupted. Looking up, prepared to be annoyed, she found that she couldn't be when she realised who it was.

"Sky boy look tired," she said to Bellamy, brow furrowed as she took in the dark circles under his eyes.

"Grounder girl looks tired too," he responded, attempting a smirk that fell flat. "Come on," he said softly, reaching out a hand to her kindly. Though confused, she took the offered help, allowing him to pull her gently to her feet. Luk bristled beside her, ready to snap into action if necessary. "We could both use some rest."

Only understanding half of what was said, she frowned. "No want swim," she told him softly, assuming he meant that he wanted them to go to the lake she had begun to think of as _theirs_. "Sleep on tree now."

"We're not going swimming. I think, after all you've done today, you deserve to sleep somewhere more comfortable than a tree," he said, and as she looked up into his eyes, somewhere in the back of her mind she realised that he had yet to let go of her hand.

"What Bellamy mean?" she asked confusedly.

He smiled, the expression fond. "I'm offering you a bed to sleep in," he said with a weak smirk. "Well, if you can call what I sleep on a bed."

"Bellamy want sleep me?" she asked, features pulled together warily.

His eyes flickered over her at her unknowingly suggestive comment, and he suppressed the flare of arousal he felt as he swept his gaze over her accentuated chest and exposed hips. "We're friends," he said stiltedly, "and I'm offering you the comfort of a tent." Still unsure, she merely pursed her lips, eyeing him contemplatively. He rolled his eyes, tugging at their hands where they were still connected. "Come on," he prompted her, dragging her through the camp, Luk close on their heels. "Don't overthink it."

"O-va-thin-ke-et?" she echoed dubiously, and despite the horrendous day they'd experienced, his lips twitched upwards at the sound of her adorable broken english.

Despite how wary she was, she didn't complain further (mostly because she didn't know how) and allowed the leader to pull her through the groups of kids mingling around fires, all the way to the space near the metal cave, where his tent was set up.

He paused, holding up the material covering the entrance, waving for her to go in first. Though still feeling cautious, she complied, slipping through the gap and into the roomy space of his courters.

Not expecting anyone to already be in there, her hand darted to her knife when she spotted another person standing beside the space she assumed was his bed.

Bellamy ducked in after her, also stopping short when he noticed another unexpected presence in the room. "Courtney?" he asked warily, eyeing her awkwardly.

Her face dropped into an expression of fury, both at seeing him hand-in-hand with the Ground girl _and_ the name he'd called her. "It's _Katy_ ," she hissed, levelling the wild looking girl with a ferocious glare. "What're you doing with _her_?"

"Bellamy Vala friends," the smaller girl spoke up with a confused frown, not sure what was happening. Did Bellamy usually share a tent with another person?

The Katy girl scoffed. "Is _that_ what you're calling it?"

"Can I help you?" Bellamy snapped, glaring at the tall girl warningly.

"I _thought_ we had plans tonight," she responded sharply.

"Since when?"

"Since the other night," she hissed, blue eyes narrowed in anger.

Bellamy just barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "That was a one time thing," he told her casually, glad for once that Vala wasn't fluent in their language. Tears pooled in the girl's shiny blue eyes. "I'm sorry if you thought differently," he apologised offhandedly, hoping it would make her leave.

Katy sniffled, glaring at him as she pushed past him, storming from the shelter of the tent. "Jerk," she muttered just before she disappeared, but the insult rolled off Bellamy like water.

Vala stepped away from him, moving a few steps into the tent before turning back to face him, concern on her pretty but dirt smudged face. "Katy okay?" she asked worriedly, not sure what had just happened, but knowing it wasn't good.

"She just...got the wrong idea about something," he told her, partially honestly. "She'll be fine."

He moved forwards, sitting down on the edge of his makeshift bed and beginning to pull his shoes off. As he did so he glanced down at Vala's feet, once again frowning as he took in her uncovered skin.

"First thing tomorrow, I'm going to find you some shoes," he said with an assured nod, shrugging off his jacket before pulling his shirt over his head. He leaned back instantly, arms braced under his head as he blinked sleepily up at the roof of his tent. A long minute passed, and he realised he was still alone on the bed. He slipped open one eye, peering over at the grounder girl who was still stood in the middle of the tent, eyeing the spot beside him like she thought it would bite. "What're you doing?" he asked, brows pulled together. "Don't even _try_ to tell me you're not exhausted."

Vala was torn. Glancing around the room, it was clear there was no other place to rest. She considered the floor – a place she was all too used to sleeping – but knew that Bellamy wouldn't allow that. She wondered if getting into a bed with him was a good idea. He wouldn't be the first person she had slept beside, but she had a feeling he would be the most significant.

Being that vulnerable to attack wasn't something she did lightly – thus why she slept in trees most of the time. She couldn't lie to herself, she felt safe around the Sky boy. Safer than she could ever remember feeling around anyone else.

She _was_ tired, and the space beside him _did_ look comfortable.

With a sigh that was more at her own reluctance, she reached behind her, untying the straps to her tunic with deft, practised fingers. It fell from her body, leaving her in only her cotton undershirt and pants. The soft light from the already lit candle by his bed filled the room, and she bent down to quickly scratch Luk affectionately. " _Be good and get some rest_ ," she told him in their language, and his tongue lolled from his mouth in lazy response.

She stood back to her feet, moving over to the bed and glancing down at the slumbering leader. And he'd said _she_ was exhausted. She rolled her eyes, dropping gently into the space beside him, making sure not to jostle him as she lifted her feet and slid them under the thick blanket he'd found from one place or another.

She didn't fall asleep right away, hands folded over her chest as she too stared thoughtfully up at the dark cream material of the makeshift ceiling.

She wondered if she was making a bad decision; trusting the sky people. Her heart said no but her mind said yes.

But that may have been ingrained prejudice talking.

For someone who had been on her own for as long as she had, Vala was surprisingly trusting. That particular trait had gotten her in serious trouble on more than one occasion. She knew it was a flaw of hers, and she was aware that it would one day more than likely get her killed.

But as she glanced over at a dozing Bellamy, she realised she couldn't have stopped even if she had wanted to.

Suddenly, the freckle faced leader rolled over, unconsciously throwing his arm over Vala's waist. Her breath hitched as the warm skin of his arm pressed against the sliver of bare skin her small undershirt exposed. It had been a _very_ long time since she'd had human contact – and it wasn't exactly a common occurrence to begin with – and she felt her stomach swoop at the motion.

Once the initial thrill of the touch had faded, she felt a deep stillness overcome her. Something about Bellamy both excited and calmed her at the same time. His mere presence soothed her, put her at ease. He was like a drug, one she knew she was already hooked on.

But she couldn't find it in her to care. With a pleased smile she melted into his hold, resting her temple against his strong shoulder, allowing her eyes to slip closed as sleep slowly overtook her.

Maybe she'd finally found where she belonged.

* * *

"Bellamy!" a voice shrieked from outside the peace of his tent, and Vala was instantly awake, snatching her knife from where it sat beside her and brandishing it out in front of her and Bellamy protectively.

The leader woke up too, though more slowly than the girl from the Ground. He rubbed his eyes tiredly as he sat up, eyeing the entrance to his tent warily.

Vala looked back at him, checking on him before she did anything. "Go," he nodded immediately, waving her from the room. She slipped from the tent, eyes sweeping the area, still dark; she guessed they'd only slept a few short hours.

There didn't seem to be any immediate danger, and after a beat Vala realised everyone's attention was focused on the sky. Feeling Luk nudge the back of her leg with his nose, she frowned to herself, turning her own gaze up at the starry night sky.

At first she assumed it was a _flyak shyn,_ a common occurrence on the ground. Stars would shoot across the sky like they were on fire, then disappear as though they'd never been there at all. After a minute, it was obvious it _wasn't_ what the Sky people would call a shooting star, but something hurtling towards them at a terrifying speed.

"Oh my God," Octavia's spoke only paces away from the wild woman, staring up at the thing with awe.

Vala recognised the sight, it was something she'd seen firsthand once before, only just over a week ago when the metal cave had dropped to the Ground, the 100 safely in it's depths.

"Shit," Bellamy's familiar voice hissed from beside her, having appeared from his tent, but she didn't pull her eyes from the falling object.

"They're coming to help us!" someone shouted excitedly. "Now we can kick some Grounder ass!"

"Please tell me they brought down some shampoo," another person commented, voice laced with hope.

Finally the falling object disappeared into the tree line, lost from their sight. "Okay, show's over!" Bellamy shouted at the gathered group, voice extra gruff. "Go back to bed. Miller, Steve and Joseph, you're with me!"

The kids dispersed, wandering back to where they'd come from, chattering excitedly amongst themselves.

"Vala," the leader nodded, waving her back into his tent. She stepped inside, nodding politely at a tall boy who wandered in after her, another two following close behind. "Do you know where it landed?" he asked her gravely once everyone was situated around the table in the centre of the room.

"New metal cave?" she asked instead of answering, worried about what the clan would do if they found it first.

"Metal – what?" he asked with a frown. "You mean the drop ship?" Vala frowned at him impatiently. He sighed. "We don't know. Now, do you know where it _landed_?" He asked, pointing expectantly to the crudely drawn map on the table before them.

"Over hill, be close lake be _frag daun_ ," she told him with a sure nod.

"The lake where that thing attacked me?" Octavia asked, appearing at the entrance to the tent.

" _Sha_ ," Vala nodded again, pointing at the correct spot on the map then frowning when they all looked confused. "Mean yes."

Bellamy's sister looked to him earnestly, "We should get moving, everyone's ready."

"No one's going anywhere," he shook his head, making the others in the tent look up at him in surprise. "Not while it's dark. It isn't safe." He studiously ignored Octavia's incredulous expression. "We'll head out at first light. Pass the word," he told his most loyal men, who nodded and left the tent without complaint.

"Everyone for a hundred miles saw this thing come down," his sister argued the minute they were gone, not caring that Vala was still standing there. Feeling like she was intruding, the Grounder girl slid from the room, Luk on her heels.

She waited outside for a minute, and shortly after Octavia slipped from the tent, a look of fierce annoyance on her pretty face.

While she agreed with Bellamy's decision – the Grounders, who usually had the advantage anyway, would have even more of one in the dark – she also knew that if there were more people in the cave that dropped, they wouldn't last long on their own.

Thankfully, her indecision didn't matter. A hand grasped her upper arm and tugged, dragging her back into the tent. She blinked in surprise but stopped herself from lashing out, forcing herself to remain calm as she stared up at an intense looking Bellamy.

"Stay quiet," he told her softly, pressing a finger to his lips.

"Huh?" she mumbled, narrowing her eyes at him, confused by the way he was acting.

"I need you to show me where the pod fell," he whispered, only serving to confuse her further.

"No wait be morning?" she asked perplexedly.

"No," he responded with a frown. She knew something was wrong, but she wasn't sure how to ask what it was. "I can't explain everything right now, but we need to leave without anyone knowing."

The crease between her eyebrows deepened, but she knew arguing would be of no use. "Get things," she told him. He nodded, relief appearing on his face as he lurched to the side, picking up his bag and making sure it had a day's rations and weapons. " _Luk,_ " she said, kneeling down beside her faithful dog. " _Stay quiet, let nobody see you_."

He whined but recognised the command. They'd been in enough situations where silence had been the crucial key to their survival.

"Ready?" Bellamy asked her eagerly, shifting his weight nervously as he glanced at the entrance to the tent in clear paranoia.

Vala didn't respond verbally, merely lifting material on the back of his tent and holding it for him to slip through. It was easy enough to sneak out of camp. Nobody gave them second glances as they walked calmly to the wall, slipping out through a portion that had yet to be built.

She waited until they were a safe distance away before she spoke. "Why Bellamy change?" she asked him, one hand woven absentmindedly into Luk's coat for comfort. He didn't reply immediately. "Be safe more Sky people," she pointed out lightly.

"I've got you," he said, glancing over at her with his most charming smile. "How much safer could I possibly get?"

She wasn't falling for it for even a second. "What Bellamy up?"

"You."

She frowned confusedly.

"'What are _you_ up _to_ '," he corrected, stalling for time as they walked along the uneven ground. "That's how you say it."

Vala huffed in annoyance; now wasn't the time to correct her English. She glanced up at the sky which was slowly turning a pale peach colour, the sun beginning to rise above the mountains.

"Remember how I told you I did a bad thing? That I killed someone?" he asked, sensing her exasperation. She nodded, wondering what it had to do with it. "The ship that came down probably has this thing called a radio, it'll let us contact the Ark. And when they come down, I'll be killed for my crimes."

Thinking that she got the idea, the woman nodded, reaching for a low hanging branch, using her own leverage to pull herself up over a large rock, landing gently on the other side. "So Bellamy..." she paused, glancing at him pointedly. " _You_ ," she corrected herself, and he nodded. "You need...radio...so _you_ be safe."

"Basically," he confirmed with a shrug, ignoring the guilt climbing in his gut. "Yes," he amended, and she hummed in response.

"I help," she declared decidedly. "I save you."

He smiled sourly, trying to ignore the shame curdling within him. "You're a fast learner," he told her, and she merely lifted a shoulder in a vague shrug.

She heard a snap from behind them, and then Luk growled, so she whipped out her dagger, holding it up protectively in the newcomer's direction. "Bellamy!" Octavia's familiar voice shouted, making the tall man stop in his tracks, turning around to frown at his sister as she appeared from the tree line. "What're you doing?"

"Go back to camp," he told her curtly. "It isn't safe."

"You lied to everyone," she cried, glaring at him furiously. "You lied to _me_. You just want whatever's in that pod for yourself."

"Go home!" he shouted, shoving her roughly in the shoulder, trying to force her away from him.

"You always want to play the big brother?" she asked condescendingly. "Well, guess what? Joke's on me, you're just a selfish dick."

"I did this for _you_ ," he snapped back, and Vala turned away, giving them the illusion of privacy. She focused her attention on the distance, keen eyes searching for any hint of a threat. "To protect you. If the Ark finds out we're alive, they'll come down. And when they do, I'm _dead_."

"What did you do?"

There was a moment of hesitation. "I shot him. I shot Jaha."

" _What_?"

"I found out they were sending you to Earth. I couldn't let you go alone. Someone came to me with a deal: do this – kill him – and they'll get me on the drop ship. And I did it."

"You killed the Chancellor?" Octavia questioned incredulously.

"He floated our _mother._ He locked you up. He deserved it."

"I didn't ask you to do that."

"You're right. I made the choice. This is on me. Whatever they sent down, I'll take care of it."

"I didn't ask for any of this," she breathed, then Vala heard the sound of her feet noisily hitting the ground as she ran away.

She waited until Bellamy moved to turn around, reaching out to grasp his arm before he could go too far. "Be okay," she assured him gently, staring up into his chocolate eyes.

"Does it get easier?" he asked darkly.

She bit the inside of her cheek. "Be okay," she repeated, and the leader of the Sky people sighed tiredly.

"Come on," he told her, softly pulling his arm from her tight grip. "We have to hurry." He picked up the pace, jogging over the rough terrain, trying to get to the fallen object as quickly as he could. Vala sighed but hastily followed after him, not willing to let him go off by himself.

Getting to the pod was easy, and Bellamy gruffly told her to watch the trees for threats as he moved to open the door, leaning inside for a long minute, reappearing with some kind of metal box in his hand with ropes and wires falling from it.

"What do now?" she asked him, glancing at the box warily.

"I need to get rid of it," he told her, looking around like he'd find the answer in the trees.

"Water be way," Vala said, pointing to the West. He didn't wait for more details, turning around and legging it in that general direction. " _For fuck sake_ ," she muttered to herself in Trigedasleng, rolling her eyes and moving to race after him, Luk barking softly at her feet as he followed. "Bellamy!" she called, worried he would do something ignorant and stupid.

She sped up. He may have had longer legs than her, but she was smaller and more used to running on the uneven terrain. She made it to him just as he was approaching the lake, pausing on the bank for only a beat before tossing the box into the water. It splashed somewhere in the centre of the lake, instantly disappearing in it's murky depths.

Bellamy stared at where it'd sunk for a long moment, before turning around and heading back the way he'd come without so much as a word to Vala.

Frowning, she paused, mumbling for Luk to go have a drink. His tongue lapped at the water, the sound familiar and comforting. After a long minute he stopped, moving back to his friend's side. Vala scratched his favourite spot, just behind left his ear, before gesturing for him to follow her back into the forest.

Bellamy had noticed she hadn't followed, and stopped to wait by the base of a large tree, arms crossed as he glared depressively into the shadows.

She approached slowly, eyes sweeping him, taking in his hunched posture and frowning face. A drop suddenly hit her cheek, and she glanced up just as the heavens gave way to the water, light rain falling onto the pair of them. Bellamy didn't so much as flinch, Luk yipping happily as he tipped his face up to the rain.

"You safe now?" she asked hesitantly, and he turned to look at her, seeing her blinking up at him with those big, expressive caramel eyes.

He relaxed a little, taking a deep, calming breath. "Yeah," he nodded affirmatively. "I'm safe now."

"Why you _taitae?_ " she questioned with a suspicious frown. Bellamy turned to shoot her a look, conveying that he had no idea what she'd just said. "Uh, mean look...war-ry?" she attempted, and suddenly the boy from the sky knew what she was saying.

She wanted to know why he didn't look relieved at his newfound safety, but he had no idea how to answer her, so he remained silent, turning his eyes back to his path and continuing to put one foot in front of the other.

They were quiet, him refusing to talk and Vala not knowing what to say. She didn't mind, she liked the silence, especially with Bellamy. Things were easy with him. There wasn't any pressure to fill the silence with mindless chatter (or broken English, on her part).

Content and relaxed – if not slightly worried about her frowning friend – she was irritated when they were interrupted by a harsh voice. "Hey!" Clarke snapped, appearing a few yards from them, stepping quickly over the moss to get to them. "Where is it?" she demanded icily.

"What Princess? I'm just taking a walk in the woods," Bellamy responded casually, Vala watching on warily, the body language telling her that the conversation wasn't a pleasant one, and she was fully prepared to break up a fight if necessary.

"They're getting ready to kill 300 people up there!" she hissed back furiously. "To save oxygen! And I can guarantee you it won't be council members. It'll be working people. _Your_ people."

There was a snap made by heavy footsteps from the side, and Vala's hand went to her staff preparedly. "Bellamy!" Finn barked as he approached, slamming his hands into the leader's chest, sending him back several steps, "where is it?" The Grounder girl wasn't having anyone attack her friend, she slid between them, shoving Finn right back, teeth bared in a warning snarl.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Bellamy responded sharply, stepping around the woman to shove the other boy in the chest in retaliation. Vala reminded herself that Bellamy didn't _really_ need her protection. He could take care of himself. She glanced to the right where an unfamiliar girl was approaching, eyeing the group cautiously. Her hand remained on her staff, just in case.

"Bellamy Blake?" the new girl asked, and Vala assumed that was Bellamy's full name. She liked the way it flowed, and made a mental note to ask him what it meant later on. "They're looking everywhere for you."

"Shut up," the tall man growled, glaring at the brunette angrily.

"Looking for him _why_?" Clarke spoke up, gaze sweeping between the pair.

"He shot Chancellor Jaha."

The blonde bristled in shock, and then realisation. "That's why you took the wristbands," she deduced, staring up at the tanner man in disbelief, or maybe it was disappointment. "You needed everyone to think we're dead."

"And all that 'whatever the hell we want'?" Finn said, and Vala recognised the words from her first night with the Skaikru. They were the first thing she'd said to Bellamy in his language, because she'd assumed it was significant. The way the leader looked down in shame made her realised she really needed to learn what the words actually meant. "You just care about saving your own skin."

Bellamy turned to leave, a severe frown marring his handsome features. Vala didn't immediately follow, the tension too high for her to know what to do. "Hey! Shooter," newcomer barked, close on the leader's heels. "Where's my radio?"

"Get out of my way," he responded flatly. Luk, having been a silent observer until then, growled threateningly, though he was mostly ignored.

"Where _is it_?"

"I should have killed you when I had the chance," he growled, and Vala's hand tightened around her weapon. The unfamiliar girl replied quietly, the Grounder missing the words as they were spoken. All she knew was that whatever she said caused Bellamy to snap. He grasped her lapels, shoving her uncaringly against a tree.

The girl was prepared, hand snapping up, tip of a knife's blade pressing into his jaw. The staff slid from it's place on Vala's back, flicking out with practised ease, the sharpened end pressing against the daring girl's throat.

Her dark eyes flickered to Vala's for only a moment, seeming unconcerned with the unspoken threat. "Where's. My. Radio?" she asked Bellamy slowly.

"Okay, stop it," Clarke commanded, stepping in between the furious trio, one hand gently knocking Vala's staff away from where it was aimed. Deciding that, despite how entertaining it would be, a fight was not in her best interests. Glancing to Bellamy for the final say, she watched as he violently let go of new girl's clothes, pushing himself back and away from the group. The end of her staff sunk into the soft earth at her feet, waiting for another opportunity to be used.

"Jaha deserved to die, you all know that," he said emotionlessly, nobody seeing his face as he glared off in the opposite direction.

"He's not my favourite person either," the brunette replied curtly. "But he isn't dead."

Vala wondered if she was seeing things when she noticed a flicker of hope in Bellamy's chocolate eyes, only to be hurriedly smothered with dread. "What?" he asked flatly.

"You're a lousy shot."

Vala couldn't follow everything that was being said, but she got the gist. Maybe Bellamy didn't have innocent blood on his hands after all, and for that she was grateful.

"Bellamy, don't you see what this means?" Clarke spoke up again, surging forwards, fingers curling around the man's arm hopefully. "You're not a murderer. You always did what you had to do to protect your sister. _That's_ who you are, and you can do it again, by protecting 300 of your people," she paused, staring up at him imploringly. "Where's the radio?"

Regret flashed in his gaze, and Vala knew she hadn't seen things that time. "It's too late," he said, tone layered with anguish.

Clarke was less than pleased when he told her what he'd done with it, and with an irritated glare she sent Finn and the new girl back to camp to gather reinforcements to search for the discarded device. Refusing to let Bellamy out of her sight, she instructed him to lead her to where he'd thrown it, keeping several paces behind him while Vala hurried to stay by his side.

"I no understand," Vala muttered shyly as they walked, keeping her tone low so Clarke couldn't listen in. "Bellamy no kill man? Get wet box, you no be safe?"

The freckled leader sighed, trying to figure out how to say it so she'd understand. "We need the box – the radio – because people from our home will die without it," he told her softly, also not keen on having Clarke overhear.

"Home in sky?" she asked, glancing upwards as though it would help her understand.

"We call it the Ark," he confirmed with a nod, also glancing up. Luk snuffled from where he was trotting along beside them, tongue hanging out carelessly.

"Miss home?" she asked gently, trying to imagine the place they'd come from.

In many ways he missed it, but in many more he was glad to be free of it's dreary, metal walls. He glanced over at her, watching the way she bounced as she walked, the way her eyes sparkled in the light as she stared up at the blue sky. "I'm learning to love the Ground," he responded honestly. He looked back up to the heavens. "Besides, if I went back now, after all that's happened down here..." he hesitated, shrugging like he was saying wasn't a big deal. "It's just not home anymore."

A hint of a smile appeared on her face. "I same," she told him softly, smile widening as he leapt onto a large log, reaching out a hand for her aid. She took it, her rough, scarred skin pressing against his soft, smooth skin, allowing him to tug her up onto the top of the log. "Clan no home now."

"And where is home?" he asked, keeping hold of her hand as he assured she got down from the bulky wood safely, letting go as he too dropped surely to the ground. He was truly interested to know, not only asking to distract himself from the guilt eating away at his insides.

She lifted a shoulder, dropping it in a vague shrug. "No have home," she admitted factually, voice carefully clear of emotion. She looked down at her four-legged companion, reaching down to scratch behind his ear.

"Let me guess," Bellamy said dryly, glancing down at the loyal dog. "You have Luk?"

She smirked up at him, bowing her head. "I have Luk," she repeated, patting the canine gently on the belly before straightening and continuing to head towards the lake they'd just come from.

They got there quickly, Clarke instantly wading into the water without any regard for possible threats lurking beneath the surface.

"Uh, no monsters, right?" Bellamy asked Vala cautiously, eyeing the waist-deep water warily.

She shrugged, "maybe."

He blanched, turning to stare at her incredulously. "Maybe?" he echoed unhappily. She clicked her tongue, shrugging again before stepping down the back and into the water, her bare feet sinking into the mud at the bottom.

Luk dove in happily, tail wagging as he swam, enjoying the cool temperature of the small river. Bellamy didn't get in the water, merely walking along the bank to see if he could spot it. Clarke sent him a scathing look from where she was waist-deep, but otherwise didn't comment.

They were only looking for a short while before a handful of the 100 came running from the trees, panting as they'd obviously sprinted there, having been told of the dire situation.

"Bellamy okay?" Vala asked once he was alone, everyone spreading out to comb the depths of the river. She approached him slowly, cautiously taking in the forlorn expression on his tan features, gazing despondently into the murky water.

"I think I may have fucked up," he murmured to her with a thick frown, hands twisting together in front of him.

"F-auk-d up?" she tried to repeated, stumbling over the foreign word.

The sound of it made Bellamy smile, the expression quickly dropping when someone shouted, "hey, I found it!" The new girl in the red jacket ran from where she was standing on the bank, unthinkingly charging through the water to get to the device, taking it from the other boy's hands and surveying it closely.

"Can you fix it?" Clarke asked hopefully.

"Maybe," she sighed. "But it'll take half a day just to dry out the components to see what's broken."

"Like I said," Bellamy spoke up gravely. "It's too late."

There was a tense silence, and Vala looked between the Sky people warily. "Do you have _any_ idea what you did? Do you even care?!" Clarke shouted.

"You asked me to help. I helped."

"300 people are gonna die today, because of you!"

"Hold up," the new girl said, eyes narrowed in thought. "We don't have to talk to the Ark. We just have to let them know we're down here, right?"

"Yeah, but how do we do that with no radio?" Finn asked confusedly.

She smiled mischievously. "I think I have an idea."


	9. Nothing On Your Skeleton

_Are you trying to hurt me_

 _You know you're supposed to lie_

 _When the truth is so unkind_

 _It's like I'm looking right through you_

 _There's nothing on your skeleton_

 _Your heart is gone_

 _You're acting like it doesn't even matter_

 _Like I don't even matter_

Skeleton – Gabrielle Aplin

* * *

Vala was entranced. She'd never seen anything like it.

The things they called 'flares' were flying through the sky, on fire and sparkling so brightly they almost hurt her eyes. If she didn't know better she'd think they were missiles, but she knew missiles didn't glow like that in the air, and she also saw them built from scratch with part of the ship that had landed.

The Skaikru were very smart.

She leaned back onto the tree she was sprawled against, absently chewing on some _Bena_ berries, little purple things that grew in bushes along the river. They were incredibly sweet, a kind of dessert amongst the clan.

Clarke had been happy when she'd brought some back, thanking her for bringing something the children could enjoy then sending her out on an excursion with a small group to gather as many as they could.

She heard the noisy crunch of footsteps heading towards her, and she looked up at the slightly familiar, pale boy standing above her. "Feel like sharing some with me?" he asked cheerily. "I haven't tried them yet, but Monty says they're great!"

Uninvited, he collapsed next to her, folding his legs under himself and holding out his hand expectantly. Not too put out by the idea of company, she handed half her hoard over, and he tossed a handful into his mouth eagerly.

"Ugh," he winced, cringing at the taste.

"Too many," she said with a small laugh, shaking her head at him amusedly. "Be one time," she corrected him, holding one up then popping it into her mouth.

He grinned boyishly, doing as he was told, finding them much more enjoyable that way. "I'm Jasper," he told her lightly. "I would have introduced myself sooner, but I was busy recovering from being speared through the chest."

Only understand half of the words, she merely nodded. "I be Vala," she introduced herself back, handing him another few berries without prompting.

"It's nice to meet you, Vala," he beamed, the expression like looking at the sun.

She wondered, suddenly, why he wasn't afraid of her. She was from the people who had very nearly killed him only days before, shouldn't he have feared her? "You no fear I?" she asked curiously, tilting her head at him as she awaited an answer, hoping he understood her butchered English.

"I did at first," he admitted around a mouthful of berry. "But everyone's been talking about you, telling me how cool and nice – although slightly intimidating – you are; how you're nothing like the other Grounders. I didn't believe them until Monty told me you were alright. Of course, I figured I had to find out for myself anyhow."

A lot of words were said in a very small amount of time, and she barely took it all in. Deciding she needed to control the conversation, she attempted asking a question.

"You be jail with Bellamy," she said, pausing the flow of fruit to her mouth. "What do? You kill man too?"

Jasper snorted loudly, then cackled unattractively, merely at her sheer bluntness. "No, no," he shook his head through his amusement. "Uh, Monty and I – we grew certain...herbs that weren't allowed on the Ark," he explained as best as he could.

Vala frowned heavily. "That bad reason be jail," she responded flatly, and he chuckled appreciatively.

"Yeah," he nodded in agreement before glancing around at the trees and the rest of the 100, all slowly losing interest in the flares and heading off to bed in small groups. "It wasn't such a bad thing though," he mused, glancing up at the red flares soaring through the atmosphere. "It got us down here. Without being jailed we might never have seen it."

"No sad you be spear through chest?" she asked, strong brows furrowed.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm _very_ unhappy about that," he said, throwing her a weak smirk and absently eyeing the edge of the wall not too far away from them, like he was watching for an attack. "But I survived, and this is worth it."

She hummed in agreement. She took the ground for granted more often than not, having been born there. But, seeing how the Skaikru stared at all the green and the clouds and and expanse of never ending blue sky with complete and utter wonder, she realised she should be more appreciative of the land she called home.

Even if it hadn't exactly been kind to her through the years.

"I've never seen a real dog before," Jasper spoke up, making Vala look at him in surprise. He reached out to pat Luk, who bared his fangs at him warningly, saliva dripping from his clenched teeth. Despite this, the younger kid still reached forwards with his hand, trying to land a soft pat on the canine's head. He snapped his jaws at him viciously, and Jasper flinched back in fear, letting out a small yelp of shock.

"Luk no friendly," she told him with an amused smirk. To rub salt in the wound, she reached over and scratched behind his ear.

"Oh, I see how it is," Jasper joked, rolling his eyes at the woman.

Camp quieted, fires dampened as everyone headed to bed. "You be sleep," she told Jasper in a voice that she meant to sound stern, but probably came across weaker than she wanted it to. "You cut still heal," she said, gesturing to his chest.

"Buzzkill," he muttered jokingly, rolling his eyes once again. He held out his hand, lips pressed together to suppress a smirk. She shot him an exasperated look. "Oh come on," he pleaded in a whiny tone. "Just a few for the road."

She didn't know what that meant, but relented anyway, handing over the few remaining _Bena_ berries she had in her hand. He grinned, standing up with only minimal trouble and slowly making his way back towards the metal cave that Bellamy insisted was called a 'drop ship'.

Vala sighed deeply. She wanted to sleep, but she in no way felt comfortable sleeping out in the open. She also didn't feel like scaling a tree. She'd done enough of that for a lifetime.

She supposed a night sleeping in something of a bed had spoiled her, but she couldn't find it in her to care.

Clicking her tongue at Luk, she pushed herself to her feet, cracked soles numb to the sharp rocks on the ground as she moved through the camp. She approached the leader's tent hesitantly. "Bellamy?" she called into it's depths.

There was no response, and, convincing herself she was worried, she slipped inside. The tent was empty and cool, Bellamy nowhere in sight. She didn't want to hover, he was a big boy who could take care of himself. She, for one, needed rest.

Deciding that he _probably_ wouldn't mind if she got a few hours of sleep in his bed, she slipped under the blanket. They were friends; why would he care?

She seemed to only be asleep for minutes before she was awoken. "Octavia!" a voice said urgently, leaning down to shake her. She snapped up, hand instantly going for her knife, only to stop when she recognised Bellamy's face lit up in the glow from the torch in his hand.

"Vala," she corrected with a frown, blinking the sleep from her eyes and staring up at him confusedly.

"I thought you were – never mind," he said, shaking his head as he turned to leave.

"Bellamy!" she called, making him pause and turn to look at her. "What be wrong?" she asked worriedly, taking in his tense body language.

He sighed, running a hand down his face. "I can't find Octavia," he revealed. "I've looked everywhere."

Vala frowned in concern. She pushed the blanket off her body, making sure her light armour was tied correctly before she stood to her feet, Luk sitting up in attention at her feet. "I help," she told him with a sure nod, blowing a strand of hair from her eyes. She looked exhausted, but he wasn't going to turn down help looking for his sister, so he nodded, telling her to search the perimeter and report back in five minutes.

She left – of course, after he explained exactly what a perimeter _was_ – moving to the wall. She slipped outside it, knife held at the ready.

"Octavia?!" she called loudly, the sound echoing through the silent forest. There was no response.

She walked along the edge of the wall quickly, Luk sniffing at the ground, sensing that they were looking for something, but not knowing what it was. She took a torch, eyeing the ground as she paced, looking for any hint of fresh tracks. All the ones she found were too big and heavy to be little Octavia, so she walked back into the centre of camp disappointedly.

"Well?" Bellamy asked hopefully as she approached, looking past her like he'd spot his sister coming up after her.

"I no see Octavia," she told him apologetically. "No Octavia track also."

He looked distraught for a long moment, before steely resolve sprung into his eyes. Luk gave a yip from below them, and he glanced down at the dog, an idea forming in his head. "If I give Luk something with her scent on it, will he be able to find her?" he asked with hope, switching the torch from his right hand to his left.

Taking a moment to process the question, Vala clicked her tongue when she thought she figured it out. "No be easy," she told him warily, but that was enough for him.

"But doable!" he said, darting across the camp without waiting for an answer.

Vala sighed, crouching down to her companion's height. _"Bellamy's counting on us now, boy_ ," she told him quietly, running her fingers over the spot under his chin. " _We can't let him down. No matter what._ "

Luk whined, nudging her breast with his wet nose. She huffed lightly, scratching him for another long moment before standing back to her feet just as Bellamy raced back to where they were, holding out a rumpled ball of cloth.

"It's her jacket," he said as explanation, crouching down like she had just done. He pressed it gently to Luk's nose, holding it there until he was sure the canine had the scent. "I want you to find her Luk, track Octavia for me." He felt like kind of a moron for talking to an animal, but there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for his sister; his responsibility.

"Luk no hear language of enemy," Vala told him, glancing down at her friends. " _Luk, track Octavia. Track this scent_ ," she told him in Trigedasleng. She hadn't known anything about training animals when she'd found him, so she'd done the best she could. She always felt like he understood what she was saying, but that could have just been her imagination.

"I'll gather a group," Bellamy said, leaving before coming back with a handful of weaponry.

"Hey everyone! Gather around, grab a weapon!" he called the the waking kids, beginning to move towards where they stood in the centre of camp. "My sister's been out there alone for twelve hours. Arm up, we're not coming back without her."

He fell silent, watching as people did as they were told. Clarke moved closer to Vala, speaking quietly so she wouldn't be overheard. "What if you track her into Grounder territory?" she asked, glancing up at Bellamy as he approached.

"Then we get in, get her, and get out, as fast as possible," Bellamy said before anyone else could answer, and that was that.

"Hey! Hey, guys!" an excited voice called, dragging everyone's attention to him. The kid responsible was staring up at the sky, prompting everyone around him to do the same.

Vala was surprised to see a meteor shower occurring above them. She'd always loved them, they were her favourite thing to watch growing up. Her mother had always said it was a good omen, signifying positive things to come. But with the way Clarke's eyes were tearing up and the new girl – Raven, she vaguely recalled – was gasping in horror, she figured this one didn't mean anything good.

"They didn't see the flares," Raven murmured sadly.

"A meteor shower tells you that?" Bellamy asked skeptically.

"It's not a meteor shower, it's a funeral," Clarke bit out in pure disgust. "Hundreds of bodies being returned to the Earth from the Ark. This is what it looks like from the other side."

Vala glanced at Bellamy and felt a stab of discomfort in her gut as she took in the pained and guilt ridden expression on his face, staring at the ground, eyes gleaming with conviction. Wanting to do something – anything – to help her friend's pain, she edged closer to him.

Not wanting to overstep her bounds (and also not knowing the proper procedure when comforting a new friend), her fingers crept forwards. Slowly and gently, her little finger curled around his. She was too cautious to do anything more. He didn't look at her, eyes still on the dirt, but he squeezed her little finger with his, accepting the odd form of comfort – unendingly grateful for it.

"This is all because of you!" Raven's voice suddenly barked, and the brunette lunged forwards, clearly out for blood.

Vala pulled her hand from Bellamy's, instead bringing it cautiously to her knife. "I helped you find the radio," he responded defensively.

"Yeah, after you jacked it from my pod and trashed it!"

"Yeah, he knows," Clarke bit out, glancing disgustedly at the other leader. "And now he has to live with it."

Bellamy hesitated only a moment, glancing up at the sky once more, jaw clenching as he watched the tragically beautiful funeral happening above them. "All I know is that my sister is out there, and I'm going to find her," he declared, desperately trying to hold on to what he _could_ fix, rather than focusing on what he'd fucked up. "You coming or what?" he asked, glancing at Finn and Clarke expectantly. They paused only briefly before nodding. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Move out!"

Bellamy practically exuded irritation and fury, making every person of the search party uncomfortable, and therefore silent. The only sounds where the grunts of communication and the snuffling of the tracking dog who led them, charging through the woods almost too quickly for the unpractised Sky people to keep up.

Vala rushed through the trees like she'd been doing it since she was born – which she _had_ – all but dancing across small creeks and over large branches. Bellamy wanted to snap that she shouldn't act so carefree while his sister was _missing_ , but somehow her playfulness was calming, reassuring in a strange way.

They searched for a long time, at least a few hours, and found nothing. They just blindly followed Luk, having nowhere else to go from. Then finally, Luk barked. Vala caught up to him in time to see him tumble down a steep ridge. "Luk!" she shrieked in horror, not even giving her personal safety a second thought as she all but threw herself after him.

She rolled twice, then landed hard on the ground. Thankfully it was merely soft soil and not the nearby rocks that she hit. Luk whimpered from where he had landed, but got up with only a slight limp.

"Vala!" Bellamy's worried voice yelled from the top of the hill, she pushed herself to her feet, thankful nothing had broken, though she knew she'd have serious bruising tomorrow. But she'd been through _much_ worse.

Luk sniffled again, then barked, his full attention on a small shrub at the base of the ridge.

"Vala!" Bellamy shouted again, concern in his voice mounting.

"Luk be find tracks!" she called back to him, crouching down to see the deep lines grooved into the dirt.

She heard chatter from above her, and a minute later Bellamy was scaling down the hill, holding onto a thick piece of rope. She smirked in slight amusement, thinking about how the Sky people were a tiny bit pathetic at surviving on the ground, and would probably be dead ten times over without her.

He appeared beside her, crouching down to eye the tracks. Luk's grumbling caught his attention, and he glanced to the shrub he was focused on, heart hammering upon finding a piece of cloth from his sister resting among the twigs.

Luk whined again, and he glanced at the nearby rocks, breath catching as he spotted the drops of blood on it's surface. "Octavia dead there be...more blood," she assured him, struggling to find the correct word. She gestured to the tracks leading into the forest. "Track mean Octavia move."

Bellamy continued to stare distraughtly down at the blood, but the expression cleared the moment somebody else joined them at the bottom, and she looked up to nod in acknowledgement at Jasper. She hadn't expected him to come after Octavia. He was still injured, and no doubt scared of being in the open.

"Jasper be brave," she murmured to him under her breath, and a small smile flickered on his lips before it died.

"Someone else was here," Bellamy said darkly, not taking any notice of the exchange.

Another boy joined them, kneeling beside the tracks and eyeing them closely. "The prints are deeper going that way," he told them, glancing into the gloomy woods. "He was carrying her."

The leader glanced to her, and if she could have, she would have felt warm at his instinct to check with her. He really trusted her, and she couldn't fathom why. "Finn be right," she told him with a nod, staring at the prints gravely.

Bellamy looked surprised by her agreement, then his face hardened into one of protective fury. "If they took her, she's alive," Jasper said with a gulp. "Like when they took me."

The girl's brother had nothing but steely resolve in his expression, and he stood to his feet, not bothering to wait for anyone else before marching off into the gloom. Vala was the first the follow him, like with Luk, she did it without a second thought. The others were hesitant but trusted their leader, also following after him.

"Do you know where we are?" Bellamy asked Vala softly as they followed Luk, moving through the thick forest quickly but quietly. The Grounder girl shot him an exasperated look; was he _really_ asking her that question? Of _course_ she knew where they were. She'd be able to navigate this forest blind! Bellamy rolled his eyes. "Sorry I asked," he muttered, though not unkindly.

They were quiet, saying nothing as they moved. The sombre air seemed to actually affect Vala, and for once she wasn't dancing as she walked, instead walking cautiously, eyeing the shadows distrustfully.

Eventually they came to a stop, Luk suddenly freezing and beginning to backtrack, whining unhappily as he realised where they were. Vala paused too, heart hammering as she understood what was wrong, as she took in the gravity of the situation she was in.

Bellamy swallowed thickly, eyeing the rotting corpses impaled by stakes, strung up along the tree line like some kind of warning.

"I don't speak Grounder," Finn said softly. "But I'm pretty sure this means _keep out_."

Mutters broke out through the group, people declaring they were leaving, not prepared to commit suicide for the girl. The group began to thin, the weakest going back the way they'd come.

"Go back if you want," Bellamy told them freely. "My sister, my responsibility," he muttered to himself, taking a step forwards.

Vala's arm snapped out to clutch at his forearm. He paused, looking back at her expectantly. She hesitated. "Am banished," she reminded him quietly, gazing up into his eyes, hoping he would understand.

"I know," he said impatiently, moving to pull away, not understanding the significance of her words.

"Am _banished_ ," she repeated, and although it took another moment, eventually realisation clouded his chocolate eyes.

"You don't have to come, especially if you're going to get killed for it," he told her, sending her a reassuring look before turning and walking head first into Grounder territory. Jasper was the next to follow him, breathing deeply and holding his torch out in front of him like a weapon.

Vala was ashamed to say she hesitated. She'd spent so long, so many years staying far _far_ away from this place, from the boundary. Crossing it meant almost certain death. Was she really willing to risk it for the young Sky girl?

Her eyes followed the light at the front of the party, knowing it was Bellamy. Bellamy was her friend, and so was Octavia. It was time for her to stop feeling so afraid, and she wasn't willing to lose the friends she'd only just gained.

She took a deep breath, reaching down to weave her fingers through Luk's thick coat and started forwards. Her companion was smart, whimpering unhappily as she led him past the positioned corpses. " _It's okay, my friend,_ " she told him gently as they walked. " _We'll be fine._ "

She took her knife from it's place at her thigh, holding it out protectively, prepared to defend them should an attack occur.

Not wanting to be at the back of the group, knowing that was how the clan would pick them off, she hurried forwards, eyes sweeping the shadows, ears strained to hear any hint of an approach. She passed Jasper, nodding to him kindly, then Finn, who she did the same to. Finally she was up beside Bellamy. He glanced down at her in surprise, not having expected her to actually follow him.

"You came?" he asked, astounded.

"Octavia friend," she replied simply, lifting a shoulder in a shrug and glancing up at him with a forced smirk.

"She's lucky to have a friend like you," he said softly, eyes focused in front of them.

"Octavia lucky have you be brother," she responded just as gently, fingers tightening around her knife as a bird cawed from above them. "Now hush," she breathed, too anxious to attempt communication.

The sun rose quickly, the sky turning a bluish-grey. Vala allowed herself to relax slightly, at least she had a much better chance at surviving in the light. Eventually Luk stopped sniffing at the ground, and Vala lost sight of the prints. Whoever it was, they were smarter than she thought.

"Why's he stopping?" Bellamy asked quietly, frowning down at the dog.

"No more trail," she told him regretfully.

"Maybe we should double back, try again," Finn suggested, appearing behind them. Vala wanted to agree, but she knew she had to push on, no matter how embarrassingly terrified she was feeling.

"I'm _not_ going back," Bellamy growled, turning to look at the younger boy, eyes blazing with defiance.

"Hey guys, where's John?" the only other girl in the remaining party asked from behind them, and though she was too stressed to care and she had no idea who that was, Vala looked over her shoulder anyway, eyes narrowed as she scanned the trees for hidden warriors.

"I just saw him a second ago," Jasper insisted breathlessly.

"Spread out," Bellamy instructed, cutting him off before his panic could grow. "He couldn't have gotten that far."

No sooner had the words left his mouth that a body fell from a large oak, crashing to the forest floor with a sickening _thump_. Vala spun around, one hand clutched around her knife, the other her staff, prepared to defend at a moment's notice.

The body must have been John, because the girl gasped as she stared down at him, taking in his slit throat and bloody clothes, pained by the horrified expression on his face.

"See backs," Vala hissed in concern, eyes never leaving the trees. "Come by tree."

"We shouldn't have crossed the boundary," a scared looking boy told them shakily.

The other girl ran a hand through her tangled hair. "Now can we go back?" she asked desperately.

"There," Jasper said suddenly, and Vala looked away from the canopy, eyes flying to the north, where a warrior of the clan stood in the distance, sword and shield displayed obviously.

"There!" the girl cried, pointing in the opposite direction. They were surrounded.

Luk bristled at her side, leaning back onto his haunches and baring his teeth menacingly, prepared to take a bite out of anyone who came close. Vala supposed they could stay and fight. It wasn't like it wasn't an option. But she was the only one who stood a chance, and even then it wasn't much of one.

They all looked to her, silently begging for her help. She swallowed, eyes flickering between the threats. Finally, she swallowed and turned to the west. "Run!" she shouted at them, knowing it was their only hope. Maybe if they could make it past the boundary they would leave them be.

She heard footsteps race after her, the rest of the search party legging it in her direction. The Grounders were silent as they raced through the forest on either side of them, boxing them in. Vala wasn't an expert on clan attack tactics, but this one was easy enough to grasp.

She knew they were being led into a trap, but she needed more _time_. She needed to buy time to think of a way out, something to say to make them spare them. As she ran, the only thing she came up with was to offer herself to them, trade her life for theirs – and hopefully Octavia's. They'd been so very kind to her, so very accepting.

What better way to die than for your friends?

"Go! Go!" one of the unnamed boys shouted as they ran, as though they weren't already doing so.

"What are we gonna do? They keep cutting us off!" another one yelled, nearly tripping over roots sticking up from the dirt, but righting himself just in time. Luk kept up to her, panting lightly at her side while, and against her better judgement she glanced back, making sure Bellamy was close on her heels.

"Just keep running!" Finn commanded, sprinting as hard as he could through the trees.

Only the sound of their heavy breaths and running feet filled the air for a long time as they raced desperately against the attackers. "I can't run much longer!" Jasper shouted from the back of the pack, breathless and pained as he fought to keep running.

"I'm not stopping for him!" a selfish asshole in the middle snapped.

"I'm sick of running anyway," Bellamy grunted, and Vala glanced over her shoulder in time to see him come to an abrupt stop. She too froze, swinging around, staff brandished warningly. "They know where she is," he growled, glaring at the surrounding warriors with hatred.

The largest of the attackers started running, heading straight for them. The girl from before screamed, taking off without warning, running desperately in the other direction. "Stop!" the native girl yelled frantically. "Be trap!"

The girl paid no attention, continuing to race blindly through the woods.

" _Stop_!" Vala screamed at the approaching warrior in loud, clear Trigedasleng. " _Spare them_ , _they're innocent_!"

Their pace didn't waver, continuing to run at them at terrifying speeds. "Come on!" Bellamy growled, grasping her arm and forcefully tugging her in the direction of the shaking girl.

" _Please, let them live!_ " she hollered over her shoulder.

"I don't think they're willing to negotiate, Vala," he grunted at her, pushing himself further, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.

"They were leading us here, it was the only direction we could run," Jasper gasped.

Finn surveyed the area warily. "Where'd they go?" he asked with wide eyes, gaze flickering around the small clearing they'd been led to. "Vala?" he questioned, looking to the Grounder girl for answers. "Where'd they go?" he asked again, breathing shallow.

Vala held her hands out, not knowing how to help. It'd been so long since she'd been part of the clan, and even when she was she'd been too young to know much about war tactics. That was always her sister's area. "After Roma," Bellamy breathed in realisation, recklessly not waiting for backup before running headfirst into the thick forest.

Vala dashed after him, catching up to him with ease and tugging him to a stop. "Slow," she hissed at him sternly, eyes sliding through the canopy above them. "Quiet. No be loud target."

He nodded, seeming to understand what she was trying to say. With a motion of his hand, the others slowed, and they walked at a moderate pace, glancing over their shoulders and scanning the woods every ten seconds.

"There she is," the loud girl said, pointing to where they saw the silhouette of a Sky girl resting against a tree. Vala held her knife more tightly, instincts telling her something was seriously wrong. "Roma," the other girl whisper-yelled at the shape desperately.

Bellamy was the first to move forwards, and Vala could tell that he knew something was wrong too. Hesitantly, he made his way up to the body. Vala was close on his heels, only her attention was almost completely focused on the trees, prepared for any kind of attack.

A glance at the impaled girl told her everything she needed to know.

"They're playing with us," Finn said, voicing what she was thinking. Idly, she spun the handle of her knife around in her palm, the familiar movement soothing her. Luk, who hadn't travelled far from her feet, whined and padded at the ground nervously.

Bellamy reached out, moving to close the girl's eyes in a move so gentle it shocked Vala to her core. She knew he could be playful, and even light when he wanted to be. But _gentle_? "She only came because of me," he said regretfully, jaw tightening with emotion.

"They could kill us whenever they want," Finn continued, paying the leader's grief no mind.

"Then they should _get it over with_!" Jasper suddenly shouted into the tree, ferocity and rage in his voice. "Come on!"

Vala got to him before anyone else could, one arm wrapping around his throat to get power over him, free hand pressing to his mouth, muffling his yells. He thrashed in her grip, and though she was stronger than him, he was bigger, and didn't make it easy to hold him. "Hush," she hissed at him furiously, tightening her hold on him, hoping she wouldn't end up having to knock him out.

A gasp caught her attention, and she took a quick glance at the only other living girl of the party, who was staring into the woods in pure horror.

Concerned, Vala followed her gaze, horrified to spot a warrior in head to toe armour running towards them at full speed, sword and shield in hand. "They're coming!" the smaller girl shouted in terror.

The priority no longer being to keep Jasper quiet, she let him go with a shove, hands instantly moving back to her weapons. "No mercy," she commanded as strongly as she could, her voice only shaking minimally, along with her hands. She took a deep breath, setting her jaw and preparing for battle.

A loud horn echoed through the forest, making every Grounder freeze.

She sucked in a sharp breath, worry for the warriors melting, replaced by an even bigger fear. She swept the woods, getting her bearings. She wasn't familiar with this part of the woods; it was _their_ territory, and she didn't have a clue where they could possibly take shelter.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she desperately tried to come up with a solution, barely paying attention as the Clan's warriors turned around and darted for the nearest cover station.

"They're leaving," Bellamy said with sheer bemusement.

"That horn, what does it mean?" Jasper asked breathlessly, glancing over at a petrified looking Vala.

"Death cloud," she responded, wracking her brain, desperately trying to come up with a solution.

There was a beat, everyone momentarily confused by the words. "You mean acid fog?" Finn asked with wide eyes, and she nodded, nostrils flaring.

"We have to run," the girl said tightly, staring at her leaders incredulously when he didn't move.

Finn looked at their Grounder ally, who shook her head negatively. "There's no time," he translated, pulling some kind of cloth from seemingly nowhere.

"What?" Vala asked simply, tilting her head at him confusedly, looking from the boy to the material with puzzlement.

"If we get under it, maybe there's a chance we can survive it; if we seal all the cracks so it can't get in," he told her, and she got the basic gist, and knew it wouldn't work. The acid would eat away at the tarp until it was gone, allowing it to get through.

"No work," she tried to tell them, shaking her head, but they were already crawling under it.

"Maybe not," Bellamy acknowledged, not even thinking as he reached out to grasp her hand. "But unless you have a better idea, it's the only option we got."

He was right, it was better than nothing. She shoved her weapons back in their respective places, whistling for Luk, who trotted behind her, waiting until she was situated under the material to crawl under and curl up between her and Bellamy.

Then they waited. Finn was on Vala's other side, and she felt uncomfortable being pressed against him, and therefore shuffled closer to Bellamy. It was an inappropriate time to be thinking of such things, but she shouldn't help but be acutely aware of the way the Sky boy's hip pressed against hers, the warmth of his skin so strong it seeped through even his thick pants.

She wasn't a complete stranger to human contact, but that was limited to people she came across in the villages along the coast. Flings, if you will, and usually she got something of value in return. To be pressed against Bellamy so intimately – a man she would call a friend – was, not so much uncomfortable as it was more so _more_ _comfortable_ than it should have been.

She forced her breathing to remain even, refusing to react in any way. A good five minutes passed in silence, only the sound of their breaths and Luk's pants filling the space, and absolutely nothing happened.

"How long are we supposed to wait?" Jasper whispered once he could no longer handle the tense silence.

"Will this even work?" the girl added.

"We'll find out," Finn told them softly.

"No we won't," Bellamy said suddenly, pushing away from Vala and lifting the tarp up over them, opening it without fear. The Grounder girl sat up, blinking at the sudden light and sweeping the tree line, on guard for any sign of the fog. "There's no fog."

"Maybe it was a false alarm?"

There was a beat, then the leader exclaimed, "they're coming back!"

Vala spun around to stare at the retreating back. He was moving too slow, and he wasn't camouflaged nearly as well as he could have been. Vala knew instantly he wanted to get their attention, but she could also tell it wasn't a trap. If it was they would already be dead – no use in keeping them around any longer than necessary.

"I think he's alone," Jasper murmured, eyes following the armour clad Grounder.

"Now can we run?" the girl whispered fearfully

"He doesn't see us," Bellamy said, completely ignoring the younger girl's request. "We're going after him."

"And what?" Finn asked obviously. "Kill him?"

"No, catch him," he countered, staring after the retreating figure. "Make him tell me where Octavia is. _Then_ kill him."

Vala felt strangely cold at his words. He seemed so eager...maybe eager wasn't the right word...so guilt-free about killing one of her people.

Her own thoughts made her pause.

 _Were_ they _her_ people anymore? Did she have a right to call them that? Or had she been stripped of that too, along with her place in the clan?

Not willing to dwell on it for any longer, she pushed herself to her feet. " _Come Luk_ ," she called to her companion, and the dog yipped lightly, sniffing the air to be sure the danger was gone, before trotting along after her. She caught up to Bellamy quickly, sliding up beside him, keeping her eyes on the silhouette dashing through the woods towards the north.

"There's a chance this could be a trap," he said quietly as they walked, only vaguely paying attention as they heard the sounds of the others scrambling after them.

"No trap," she shook her head, stepping over the gnarled roots at the base of a tree and shifting so she could keep her eyes on the Grounder.

"How do you know?" he asked, curious, but also knowing that whatever she said didn't matter. He was still going to find Octavia, no matter what unheeded risks it took to do so.

Vala pursed her lips. How _did_ she know? Really, it was more of an instinct than anything, but she couldn't tell him she simply had a hunch. That would sound ludicrous. She decided to just pretend she didn't understand.

The rushed Grounder didn't look back once, continuing to travel through the forest, clearly heading somewhere specific. That only solidified her idea that he was leading them on purpose. Everyone from the clan was taught to be aware of their surroundings from a _very_ young age. It was second nature for them to be one with the forest and it's sounds. Any Grounder would know the loud and inexperienced Sky people were following them, and yet this one continued on running.

Finally, after a long hour of hurrying after the man, he paused by the base of a tree, leaning down and pulling aside some kind of metal grate, jumping down and disappearing into a hole in the ground.

Vala paused a few feet from it, even as Bellamy instantly moved to peer down into the damp darkness, keen eyes sweeping the space for his sister. Wary, Vala considered a not-so-happy possibility.

Reapers.

They were taught from the time they could talk to be wary with tunnels, as that was where Reapers spent their days, hunting and scavenging, waiting to tear you limb from limb.

"Count to ten, then follow me," Bellamy instructed, gesturing into the hole.

"No," Vala hissed strongly, pushing her concern to the side and meeting him by the hole in three steps as she heard the sounds of the rest of the group rushing after them. "I go, you follow."

"What? No-"

She didn't wait to hear his protests, slipping her knife free of it's strap and stepping into thin air, feeling her stomach briefly fly into her throat as she dropped. She hit the ground firmly, knees bent as she took the landing with practised ease. She slid to her feet, moving aside and watching as an irritated looking Bellamy dropped down after her. She glanced back up, spotting Luk leaning down to peer in after her. " _Stay, my friend_ ," she told him in Trigedasleng, and with a throaty whine he did as he was told.

Not bothering to wait for any more of the group, Vala turned, knife brandished out in front of her, and began to move through the network of tunnels.

She heard more people drop into the hole, but paid them no mind, uncaring so long as they stayed quiet. Her footsteps were silent on the damp earth, and somewhere in the back of her mind she registered the stabbing pains in her foot from where she was exposed to the cold ground.

Eventually they broke out of the thin corridor. It was too dark to see much, and Vala nearly stumbled over a body on the ground.

For one long, horrifying moment, she thought it was Octavia. Then she noticed the armour the body was wearing, and realised it could only have been someone from the _Trikru_.

"Bellamy?!" a familiar voice gasped, spotting the tall boy behind her.

Bellamy pushed passed her without a second thought, flying to his baby sister's side. "Octavia!" he exclaimed, taking in the sight of her, bruised and dirty – and chained to the wall. They murmured amongst themselves, and Vala, now knowing Octavia was alive, kept her attention on the Grounder. "Monroe, watch the entrance," he continued roughly, the sound of rattling chains filling the small room dug from the ground.

Vala crouched at the Grounder's head, pressing a finger to his chapped lips. Breath still flowed from his nose, and she knew he wasn't dead. Relief filled her; she was more than willing to kill to survive, but she loathed needless blood to be spilt.

She stood back to her feet, keeping a wary eye on the unconscious man, but also taking the time to peer at the siblings, who were wrapped in each others arms, relieved to see the other was alive.

She spotted their ally over her brother's shoulder, and in a move that shocked Vala to the core, she leapt from his arms and into hers. She sucked in a sharp breath, blinking at the opposite wall as Octavia burrowed her face in the older woman's neck, giggling in pure glee and relief.

Unsure how to respond, the Grounder moved her own arms, copying the motions the Sky girl was making and squeezing her tightly, hoping to be of come comfort. "I'm so glad you're here," she gasped into Vala's shoulder, and she blinked, stilled in her surprise as Octavia spotted Jasper in the corner. "How did you find me?" she asked, squeezing Vala one last time before flying over to the tall boy's side, wrapping him too in a warm hug.

"Followed him," he laughed, gesturing to the comatose Grounder on the dirt at their feet.

"We should go. Now," Octavia gasped suddenly, tearing herself from Jasper's hold and staring at her brother imploringly. "Before he wakes up."

Bellamy didn't reply for a time, turning around and heading for the far wall. "He's not gonna wake up," he said menacingly, and Vala frowned, trying to understand what was happening.

"Bellamy, stop! He didn't hurt me, let's just go," Octavia begged as he picked up a large spear from where it leant against the rocks, turning it in his hands experimentally.

"They started this," he snapped back, glaring at the Grounder with contempt.

Vala wondered what separated her from him. Was it merely that he'd met her first? Was it because she was somehow less threatening? And what was stopping him from treating her with the same hostility? A shiver of disgust ran through her, and she had to swallow the emotions threatening to overtake her.

"Finn, move."

Refusing to tear her eyes from Bellamy, Vala vaguely took in the form of Finn kneeling beside the unconscious man, fingering his belongings cautiously. "The fog horn," he murmured, almost to himself.

"Finn," Bellamy barked again.

Finn stood to his feet just as the Grounder sprung to life. He threw himself at the boy, but Vala saw the attack coming clear as day. With an alarmed cry she shoved the boy in the chest. Unfortunately the Grounder was prepared for this.

He swerved, knife slicing through the skin on her waist. The cut was deep, but not life threatening. Using the momentum he'd gained, he threw himself further still, knife sinking into where it was meant to go all along, deep into Finn's chest.

Bringing her own knife up, she prepared to attack, but the blood was quickly pouring from her wound, and her head spun. She saw double and when she went for a strike, the Grounder was able to sidestep it with ease, bringing a rock down on her temple. She staggered but didn't collapse, instead pushing herself closer to her attacker, trying to land a reasonable hit. With a grunt as Bellamy punched him in the gut, he brought the rock down again, this time to the back of her head.

Things continued to happen around her. There were shouts and yells, the sound of people fighting, but it sounded like it was all happening from underwater. Beginning to feel a slight ache in her torso, Vala glanced down at herself.

Nothing seemed to be wrong, she couldn't see any signs of injury besides the superficial wound he'd created on her stomach. Then something dripped into her eye, and with a pained wince, her fingers moved to the skin at her temple. When she pulled them back they were smeared with blood.

She sighed, the movement causing a twinge of pain to roll through her, along with an overbearing nausea. There was a sudden pain in her knees, and she realised she'd keeled over, collapsing to the dirty ground, one hand pressed over her new wound.

Another scar to add to the collection, she supposed. _If_ she survived at all, that was.

Suddenly the sounds of fighting ended, and there were two hands braced on her shoulders. Realising that her vision had spots in it, she narrowed her eyes, trying to see past the blurs to whoever was speaking to her.

Bellamy's alarmed face swam into view. She blinked at him blankly, absently thinking that she didn't like the worried look on his face. Her hand reached up to smooth away the creases, but she frowned heavily when all she did was smear blood across his forehead.

He was talking to her, saying something, but it was too muffled for her to understand. She tilted her head at him curiously, but the motion made another wave of nausea crash through her. As her eyes flickered shut, she could only think about how much she wished she didn't have to leave Bellamy so soon after she'd found him.

Then everything went black.

 **A/N: Send me a review and let me know your thoughts!**


	10. Just Give It Time

_I know it's warmer where you are_

 _And it's safer by your side_

 _But right now I can't be what you want_

 _Just give it time_

You And I – PVRIS

* * *

Bellamy was on a warpath. It had made walking through the storm while dragging a full grown man behind him just that little bit easier.

Two more of his people dead and two seriously injured.

Well, that was if he was counting Vala as one of his people. Which he _was._

Finn would be okay, he'd lost a lot of blood, but the knife had been successfully taken from his ribcage. As far as he knew, it hadn't punctured anything vital, and the boy was now dozing on a table in the centre of the room.

Vala on the other hand...

She was in bad shape. He didn't know to what extent until he was sitting beside her, trying to hold himself back from holding her hand. A group of his people were upstairs, on the top floor of the drop ship, keeping an eye on the Grounder responsible for putting her in that position.

She was pale, a light sheen of sweat covered her exposed skin, her leather bodice having been cut from her body so Clarke could get to the wound on her side. She was clad in only her small undershirt, the one she went swimming in, and now, in the light of the drop ship, he could see the full extent of the scars marring her beautiful skin.

One ran from her hip to her breast, from what could only be something jagged, as the scar wasn't by any means clean. Little scars wound across her middle, like she'd been cut by tiny knives. She had bigger slices running down her arms, and the only conclusion he could come to was that she got into her fair share of knife fights.

It seemed like every injury she'd ever gotten had scarred, and he sucked in a sharp breath as he realised that was because she'd been alone from the time she was ten, therefore having no one but herself to patch up her wounds. He couldn't imagine the pain she must have endured.

Clarke had stitched the slashed skin closed. She'd lost a lot of blood, though mostly from the head wound, and the doctor's daughter was sure the lesion would heal quickly. She wasn't as sure about the damage the ones on her head would cause, however. She'd called Bellamy down once the stitching was done, somehow knowing he'd want to see her.

Finally, after a few long minutes of waiting, the dark haired Grounder girl opened her caramel eyes, blinking up at the ceiling blankly.

"Vala," he said, not daring to grasp her hand, too worried he'd scare her. Her irises slowly moved, sweeping across the room until she met his eyes. Her caramel orbs were wide with fright, staring up at him with a fear he hadn't before seen on the girl's pretty but scarred face. "Hey," he said, forcing a relaxed smile onto his lips that didn't quite make it to his eyes. "You had us worried there."

He leaned over her, watching as she seemed to calm down. "What-what-" she tried to ask, but she didn't have the concentration to find the right words. But Bellamy knew what she was trying to say.

"The Grounder we followed," he told her gently. "He hit you over the head. Twice." She frowned when she didn't understand the words he was using, and, feeling only a little ridiculous, he mimed getting hit over the head. She nodded in understanding, groaning when the movement hurt her head and tripled her dizziness.

Noticing how dangerously pale she was, he couldn't help but reach a hand out and press his palm to her clammy forehead. He frowned deeply when he encountered burning hot skin, instead of her naturally just above average temperature.

"Clarke," he called, glancing into her eyes again, worried when she stared back blankly, her eyes alarmingly glassy.

The blonde girl, who already had her hands full with Finn as she stitched up his wound, looked over at him impatiently. "What Bellamy?"

"It's Vala," he replied, undeterred by her short tone. "She's burning up."

Clarke's face crumpled in concern. She took another long moment, before getting up and moving to Bellamy's side. She pressed her own hand to her head, frowning when she realised their leader was correct. "Mom?" she asked the radio. "Vala has a fever. Could it be a something to do with her concussion?"

That was what she had said earlier, that Vala had a _concussion._ She tried to keep Vala awake, but her hands were too full with Finn's surgery to worry about the Grounder girl too.

"No, no," Abbey responded through the radio. "It can't be a sign of concussion, but it _can_ be a sign of infection. Sterilise the wound on her side again, besides that, all you can do is monitor her."

The radio went silent again as Clarke moved around the table, getting the rest of the moonshine and tipping a good portion of it onto the stitched up wound. Vala thrashed where she lay, grunting in pain as the moonshine did it's job and disinfected out the wound. Unable to help himself, Bellamy reached out, grabbing her small but calloused hand in both of his own, allowing her to squeeze it in silent support.

"Clarke!" Raven shouted when Finn began to cough, and with a final touch to the woman's stomach she turned and went back to Finn.

Vala's pained eyes slid to Bellamy again, and he tightened his grip on her hand. He'd just opened his mouth to say something when there was a loud shout of his name from above them, clearly coming from the level they were holding the Grounder on.

"I'll be back," he assured her gently, but she didn't respond, merely staring up at him blankly until he finally tore himself away, climbing up the ladder, soft expression melting into a much harder mask.

* * *

Things seemed to be looking up, until Raven shouted that Finn was seizing. Then everything seemed to go the hell.

It was only mere seconds after his seizing stopped that Vala's began. Just barely coping with the stress, Clarke flew to her side, repeating the same actions she had just done with Finn. The foam dripped from her lips, her eyes flickering as she struggled against whatever was in her system.

"How can she be infected too?" Raven cried, stroking Finn's hair back affectionately.

"It's not infection," Clarke responded tightly. "Hang on," she said in realisation. "I've seen this before. Shortness of breath, fever, seizing; it's poison!"

"Clarke you sterilised everything, I watched you do it," Raven countered in confusion.

The blonde's attention was drawn to the Grounder's knife laying on the seat along the wall. "Not everything," she growled, picking it up and heading for the stairs. She paused, turning back to the Grounder ally she already had. She just hoped she was lucid enough to talk. "Vala," she began carefully.

The woman was strong, her eyes peeked open, and she coughed only twice before silencing.

"There was something on the blade," she said slowly, holding up the weapon so she could see, hoping she would understand. "Poison."

" _Unklir jus_ ," she replied stiltedly, eyelids fluttering worryingly. " _Fis op_."

"English, Vala," Clarke implored, leaning down so they were closer. "Please."

"Bellamy," she coughed, only the whites of her eyes showing as she had a minor seizure before stilling again with a pained sigh.

"He's busy, you need to talk to _me_ ," Clarke said, feeling so desperate she could cry.

" _Fis op_ ," she called out again, head lulling back.

"No, no! Vala, stay with me!" she yelled, grasping either side of the woman's face and squeezing gently, hoping she'd stay conscious. The hope was in vain, however, as her eyes fluttered, then shut. Pressing her fingers to the Grounder's neck so, fearfully checking her pulse. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief to find she was only unconscious, but still very much alive.

As she stared down at her new friend, she was filled with a renewed sense of determination. Snatching the knife up once more, she began to climb the ladder, a glare that she felt was becoming permanent sitting on her face.

Bellamy didn't take it well, but she didn't expect him to.

She hadn't anticipated torture coming into the equation at any stage of the day, but once it was presented, it was difficult to shelve. "How long does he have?" the leader asked, concerned frown in place.

" _Not long_ ," Clarke told him seriously.

Suddenly his expression twisted into something like pain. "Vala?" he asked breathlessly, eyes anguished.

Taken aback by the severity of his response, her brow furrowed, and she realised that maybe the connection he and Vala shared ran deeper than she thought. "She _needs_ an antidote," she told him, and the soft and worried expression on his face hardened into something much fiercer.

He cracked his knuckles, turning back around. "I'll get him to talk," he swore, rolling his shoulders as he prepared to do the worst.

Octavia protested, of course. Bellamy paid her no mind, barely waiting for Clarke's reluctant agreement before turning and laying into the Grounder with a belt from the drop ship – an action he wouldn't ever be able to take back.

As Vala drifted in and out of consciousness, she searched the room for Bellamy. When he was nowhere to be found, she'd notice Luk propped up on the table beside her, nuzzling into her skin with his wet nose.

Coughing up more foam, the Grounder girl tried to sigh, only to cough some more. She knew enough of the _Trikru's_ culture to know she'd been poisoned. "Clarke!" she tried to yell, spots in her vision making it difficult to concentrate. Her voice came out as more of a croak, and she hacked once more, tilting to her side to allow the fluid from her mouth.

There were several poisons it could be. It was impossible to tell exactly which one. Her knowledge of the poisons was limited at best, everything she knew she'd picked up on the run. She carried some antidotes with her, but they'd been taken along with her shoes the last time she'd been attacked by outliers.

She didn't know what was in them, and even if she did she wouldn't have a clue how to tell the Sky people's healer so she could make them herself.

Fingers woven into her friend's thick coat, she drifted again, frowning softly as she heard something of an agonised scream from what seemed to be high above her.

* * *

Again it was Luk who woke her. Over the years she'd become hyper-tuned to the feeling of him snuffling into her exposed skin, a communication that danger was close and she needed to get moving. She shot up, hands snapping to her thigh for her trusty knife, only for her to fall back down again, strength zapped and hand empty of cool metal.

"Hey," a voice said gently, the tone comforting, and realising she'd shut her eyes again, she slid them back open, wincing through the light at a familiar freckled face.

"Bellamy?" she asked, just to be sure.

The taller man nodded, leaning closer to her, resting his forearms on the metal table by her hip.

"It be _Unklir jus?_ " she asked him to make sure she understood, words slurring with exhaustion.

He smiled, the expression annoyingly charming to someone who felt so terrible. "If that means poison, then we're on the same page," he told her casually, but there was a tenseness in his eyes that caught her attention.

"What be bad?" she asked, forcing her eyes open fully to peer at him worriedly.

"Nothing," he was quick to say.

Crease appearing between her brows, she frowned at him. She moved, hand reaching out until it pressed against the leader's cheek. Slowly and clumsily she brushed her thumb along the skin under his eye, tapping it gently. "Wrong be here," she said pointedly, tapping the dark bag again for good measure. "In eye."

He winced, reaching up to clasp his fingers around hers, regretfully dragging it down and away from his face, something about the way she instantly saw through him was alarming. "I just had to do something today that I really wish I hadn't," he said, feeling guilty but surprisingly not at all apologetic.

His brown eyes meeting her wide caramel ones, he knew he'd made the right decision. And he'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant it would save Vala's life.

"But I don't regret it," he told her impulsively. "It saved you, so it was worth it."

Vala pursed her lips thoughtfully, trying to take in what he was saying. " _Yumi lukot_ ," she told him sincerely, bowing her head. He hummed curiously in response. "Bellamy and Vala be friend," she translated with a tired smile, and he nodded his head with a smile for both of them.

It wasn't the first time she'd said as much, but he got the feeling she liked it; calling him her friend. Since he _also_ got the feeling she didn't really have any, apart from him.

Beside them, Luk jumped up, tongue lolling out as he awaited instruction. Bellamy looked to Vala for an explanation. "Luk name come by Lukot," she said, glancing down at her companion with affection. "Mean friend."

He vaguely recalled her telling him the same thing only just after they'd met, but he hadn't been paying proper attention back then. He realised then that she'd literally named her dog _'friend_ ', which was as adorable as it was sad. He decided he liked being her friend, and would do everything he could to make sure he was a good one.

Vala recovered quickly. By that night she was sitting up, and by the following morning she was walking around. She was more than relieved to have her belongings back in place; Bellamy had made sure they were back in her possession as soon as she was lucid enough to hold a knife without hurting herself.

Clarke kept a close eye on her, but otherwise allowed her free roam of the camp. People still seemed afraid of her, but little would change that other than time, so she let it go. It wasn't until her second day up and walking about that she was told about what was happening in the top floor of the metal cave.

"Hey! Vala!" a voice called, and surprised it wasn't Clarke, Bellamy, or Octavia for once, she looked up, raising a curious eyebrow at the approaching Sky boy. She recognised him from only days ago, when they'd talked by the fire.

"Jas-pa," she greeted him sloppily, raising the hand holding her knife and waving it in the air in welcome. A girl sitting a few paces to her right squealed and flinched away, and Vala had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. She could handle a knife.

"Good to see you up and about," he told her, stopping beside the tree she was leaned against, but not sitting down, instead merely peering down at her with a wide grin.

"Clarke heal me," she proclaimed, returning her attention to the small chunk of wood she was idly whittling down.

"Yeah," he nodded, glancing up at the drop ship thoughtfully. "I haven't seen you go talk to the Grounder yet," he said, and, not sure what he meant, she looked away from her mindless task, brows pulled together confusedly. "I mean, since you actually speak his language, I figured you'd be the first person Bellamy would go to."

"What?" she asked bewilderedly, eyes sliding between the boy and the metal cave.

"You know?" he prompted, smiling slowly melting from his face. "The Grounder? The one Bellamy captured and locked up in the drop ship?"

Wanting to be sure she was translating correctly, Vala dropped the wood and slid the knife back into place on her leg. She was several inches shorter than Jasper, but she managed to be a hundred times more intimidating as she narrowed her kohl smudged eyes up at him. "There be Grounder in metal cave?" she asked deliberately, jaw clenched so tightly it ached, hands curled into fists. Suddenly feeling frightened, getting the idea that she hadn't previously known about their prisoner, he stepped back and spluttered incoherently. "Jasper," she snapped harshly, demanding a reply, the name coming out more correct now that she was serious.

"Well, I mean–yeah," he confirmed, and without waiting for more she spun around, long hair flying out, heavy braids slapping Jasper in the chest as she left.

She stomped towards the cave, not for a moment stopping to talk to anyone, even Clarke as she called a question about her health over her shoulder. She went straight for the ladder, grasping the rungs of the thing and hoisting herself up. The movement made her still-healing side ache, and she hoped she didn't pop a stitch as she tore up the ladder on a mission.

The hatch to the top level was shut, but thankfully not locked, and she shoved it open with little care, pulling herself up and onto the ground.

"Vala?" Bellamy was the first person she saw, standing over her with a frown. "What are you-"

She shoved him aside, having little care for him in that moment. A second later she laid her eyes on the Grounder suspended by rope, dried blood on his face, one eye completely swollen shut.

After staring at the warrior in horror for a long moment, she spun around to shoot a lethal glare at the commander of the Sky people. "You no tell me you have be Grounder?!" she shouted furiously, the intensity of it shocking Bellamy. He'd seen her desperate, and defensive, but _never_ angry – at least, not to that extent.

"Look," he said, puffing out his chest as he stepped forwards, not about to let the men surrounding them see him acting like her bitch. "It's not your-"

"Idiot Bellamy," she hissed, enraged as she bared her teeth at him. "This be war move," she growled. He looked unsure for a moment before stepping closer, opening his mouth to tell her off for speaking against him.

She spun around, ignoring whatever he had to say, and faced the restrained Grounder, crossing her arms and glaring at him too, the fury never leaving her eyes.

" _Who are you_?" she asked him in Trigedasleng. He merely stared back with his one good eye, face clear of emotion. " _Your tattoos say you're Trikru. Are you one of the commander's men?_ "

He didn't respond, remaining completely stoic, like he didn't understand her, even though she knew he did. "What are you saying?" Bellamy asked her, and she twisted her head around to shoot him a lethal glower. He pressed his lips together begrudgingly, not liking it, but knowing it was wiser to keep his mouth shut.

" _These people are good, they're merely scared and think they're protecting their own,_ " she said softly, taking a step closer. Deciding to take it further, she continued. " _My name is Vala._ "

Again, he said absolutely nothing.

"He no talk me, he no talk you," she said with a sense of finality. Eyes flickering over his injuries, she turned back around to glare at Bellamy.

Sensing more was coming, he sighed, running a hand over his forehead. "Get out of here," he instructed his men, who were all watching on curiously. "Miller, come back in ten for your watch." The Miller boy nodded, the last to disappear down the hole in the floor. Bellamy turned back to Vala once they were alone, only the Grounder in the room to overhear them.

Taking that as her cue, she began to speak. "There best be justice be cuts," she growled at him, and he shifted his weight, beginning to feel oddly chastised. Her English was hard to understand, but he knew what she was trying to say. He almost always did.

"He was the only one with the antidote to the poison in your system," he defended, pointing aggressively at the huge man. "I did it to save lives." Her glare did nothing but harden. "He's the one that hit you! That stabbed you and Finn!"

"He be protect he," she hissed back angrily. "You be same him place."

"So because it was self-defence, it was justified?" he asked back, voice raising.

"I no hear what this mean!" she shouted back, edging closer to the leader, fists clenched and ready to throw, though she'd never do it. Not to him. "Bellamy wrong!"

"Why are you so angry?!" he yelled, taking a step closer and scowling down at her intensely. "These are the people who banished you when you were _ten years old!_ You should be happy for a chance to get some revenge!"

"No want revenge!" she retorted shrilly, eyes wild.

"Then what _do_ you want?!"

"Be care for!" she screamed, then stopping short, not having meant for that to come out.

Bellamy paused, his anger melting quickly. "You mean that...you want to be accepted?" he clarified, frowning down at the savage looking girl, kohl trailing down her cheeks in a messy way that was completely familiar to him now.

Her tense body relaxed, expression thawing into something much sadder.

"Vala," he began softly, growing more calm with every passing second, ignoring the Grounder that was now looking at them with far too intelligent eyes. "They banished you," he told her sincerely. "You don't need _anything_ from them, least of all their acceptance."

She shrugged. She thought she knew what he was saying, and she knew that, but she couldn't help but want it anyway. It was an instinct, they were her _people_. But, she supposed as she stared up into Bellamy's dark eyes, they definitely weren't her _home._

He sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Come on," he said softly, waving a hand towards the hatch. "Let's get out of here." She didn't move an inch, merely tilting her head at him curiously, staring at him like she could see right through him, but at the same time had no idea what to make of him. "I figure we could use a swim," he said significantly, meeting her eyes pointedly.

Vala pursed her lips, considering his offer for a long moment before turning back to face the restrained Grounder before them. " _Just try to cooperate_ ," she told him in their shared language. " _They only want to feel safe._ "

With that she turned around, walking back to Bellamy's side and nodding at him once, slipping down the rungs of the ladder and making her way back to the first floor of the strange metal cave.

People tried to get Bellamy's attention as they made their way through camp, but he barely blinked as he told them to go find Clarke instead. He was on a mission.

Vala led the way, the darkening sky making it difficult for Bellamy to recognise the way to, what they had both come to think of as, 'their' place.

The Grounder girl said nothing, still feeling irritated – no, angry – at the Sky boy for his blatant deception. More than anything, though, she was tired. As she stepped over gnarled roots twisting out of the dirt, she sighed. She didn't have any control over the Sky people, Bellamy least of all. She was allowed to be angry, but she didn't have a right to berate him for doing what he thought was right. What she said to the unnamed Grounder still stood.

They were acting out of fear.

Vala found the taller man was right, she could use a swim. The air was still warm, being only mid-autumn, and she found her leather attire clinging uncomfortably to her skin.

Her armour was off in one smooth movement, and she dropped the durable cloth to the ground, deciding she was far too tired to play, instead merely stepping into the water, enjoying the way the cool liquid enveloped her. She sank underwater as soon as she was deep enough, running her hands over her face, uncaring that it probably smudged the kohl there even further.

She reappeared along the edge, feet only barely touching the bottom as she stood where it was shallowest.

Bellamy did the same, taking off his jacket and shirt before slipping in the water, easily reaching the floor as he walked through the water towards her.

The wet clinging to his skin shimmered in the combined moonlight and soft radiance from the glowing plant life and fungi growing around the edge of the water. He dipped under the surface, popping back up not a second later, dark hair sticking to his forehead. Vala's eyes followed a droplet of water as it trailed from his temple, down the heavy freckles on his cheek and over the curve of his jaw, travelling along the column of his throat and over his strong collarbones before finally disappearing into the rest of the water.

His skin was perfect; she didn't know it was possible to go through life without getting marred by scars as she so obviously was.

She frowned to herself, she was still upset, she shouldn't be thinking about the Sky boy's impossible beauty, there were more important things to focus on.

"I'm not going to apologise," Bellamy said suddenly, and Vala's eyes snapped up to meet his, searching for what she wasn't sure she'd be able to find. "I made a decision for the good of my people, and I don't regret it."

"No mad you do this," she spoke before he could say anything else, features pulled into a deep frown. "Mad you no tell."

She _also_ knew she didn't have a right to be mad about this, but she couldn't help it; she didn't understand why her friend had kept it from her. Friends didn't do that, did they?

Bellamy considered her words with a frown, eyes flickering over the glow her face was bathed in. "Next time, I'll tell you."

She didn't think he really would, but she didn't say anything. She stepped back slightly, tipping her head back to peer at the stars littering the sky above them, mulling over the day's events. "What it be me?" she couldn't stop herself from asking, and he took a step closer, eyes glued to her expressive face.

"What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely confused by her broken English.

"If Grounder be me," she elaborated, lips pursing as she scrambled for the words. "May you hurt me like hurt Grounder?"

"But it _wasn't_ you," he countered instantly, taking a step closer. She didn't step back, holding her ground, refusing to be pushed further away. "I wouldn't hurt you. Ever."

Her severe expression didn't lift. " _Skaikru_ have they way," she said gently, meeting his eyes, head tilted back to see properly. "Grounder have they way also."

Anyone else wouldn't have know what she was trying to say, but this was Bellamy, and somehow he _always_ knew what she was trying to say. "We can't let him go," he told her softly, voice coming close to something like regret. "At least not yet. He'll go get his people, bring them back to slaughter us."

"Slaw-tar?" she tried to copy, face scrunching adorably as she tested the unfamiliar word.

"Kill," he clarified, fighting to keep the emotion from his face.

Her strong brows pulled together as she realised what he was saying. He wasn't wrong, the warrior would most certainly get the rest of his unit, perhaps even alert the commander, and then they were all in trouble. The only way that wouldn't happen would be if the Grounder in their cave was a nomad like her.

But that was extremely unlikely.

"Bellamy do he think right," she finally said, voice soft and less harsh than usual. She moved her arms through the water, the feeling of it silky smooth and cool against her skin. "I stand with you."

"We're not your people, Vala," he said before he could stop himself, hating himself that little bit more when she winced.

"Have no people," she bowed her head in agreement, eyes sliding shut, covering up the pain in their depths. "Only be friends. I stand with friends."

Her admission made him realise that maybe he didn't have to face the following days alone. An idea occurred to him, and the force of it made him pause.

"I'm leaving." He'd said it before he was able to stop himself.

Vala blinked in surprise, taking an extra moment to translate the words. "Where you be leave to?" she asked, tone calm and accepting. She didn't ask why, didn't argue, didn't try to talk him out of it. He loved that.

"See, that's the thing." She didn't ask him to explain himself, but he felt obligated to anyway. "I need to leave before the others come down-"

"Come be sky?" she interrupted, glancing up as she always did, like she'd find the answers there.

"Yes. If I'm still here when they come down, they're going to kill me." Vala paled at the words, back to watching Bellamy with attentive, worried eyes. "So I need to leave, but, I don't think I'd get very far," he paused, biting his tongue for a moment and turning his own gaze to the stars above. "At least, not without you."

She ducked under the water again, taking the moment of privacy to frown, running her fingers through her impossibly tangled hair. She reappeared, breathing deeply as she glanced back at the Sky boy in the water with her, his eyes still focused stubbornly on the stars. "Bellamy ask Vala to run with him?" she eventually said, speaking slowly and deliberately, wanting absolutely no miscommunication.

"Let's be honest," he said, voice layered with bitterness. "I wouldn't last a week out there on my own. I don't know where I'm going, and I don't know what other kinds of threats are lurking in the shadows. I'd be stupid if I didn't ask for help." Vala frowned, and Bellamy got the sense that his explanation wasn't good enough. "And...I suppose, it would be...nice...to not be completely alone," he finally admitted, stumbling over his words with a pained wince.

The thought of leaving Octavia made him ache deep down, but he was forcing himself not to focus on the feeling. She hated him anyway, she had every right to after what he said the last time they spoke. She wanted him gone, and he had to go to survive. It was win-win. That didn't mean he couldn't indulge a little and take the Grounder girl with him, if only for company and (loathe was he to admit it) protection.

"Octavia?" was all Vala said, voice disturbingly soothing.

"She doesn't care," he spoke his thoughts aloud gruffly. "And she doesn't know. This stays between us, you got that?"

" _Hush op_ ," she said with a sure nod.

He frowned at her in confusion, and she lifted a single finger to her lips, pressing it against them pointedly. "Secret," he nodded, understanding what she meant. "We say 'secret'."

"See-crit," she repeated stiltedly, and, feeling oddly light, Bellamy snorted in amusement, enjoying the way a bright, stupid grin appeared on her kohl smudged face at the sound. "When?" she asked him after a beat.

"In a few days," he told her gently. "Once I'm sure they'll be okay without me. Without _us_." He sighed suddenly, looking over his shoulder into the bluish glow of the forest, staring in the direction the camp was in like he would magically be able to see it through the trees. "In the mean time, keep teaching fighting skills, hunting skills, anything they're willing to learn. They're going to need it all."

* * *

 **A/N: Hello lovelies. I know a lot of you had certain desires for Vala to somehow know Lincoln, but no dice. She does have a connection to the Trikru, but you won't find out how for a while yet.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I will definitely be seeing you guys again soon. Be sure to send me a message, give me feedback and tell me what you guys like or wanna see more of.**


	11. Fade To Grey

_Where is the moment we needed the most_

 _You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost_

 _They tell me your blue skies fade to grey_

 _They tell me your passion's gone away_

 _And I don't need no carryin' on_

Bad Day – Daniel Powter

* * *

"Ouch!"

"Sorry!"

"Move much, moron?"

"Shut up James!"

"Take two steps closer and say that!"

Vala rubbed her fingers against her temples, taking a moment to sigh before whistling sharply, two fingers slipped between her plump lips, making the group of teenagers turn to look at her with wide eyes, and the dog at her feet to perk up in attention.

" _Hush_ ," she hissed at them sternly. It took a lot to annoy the usually happy-go-lucky woman, but three days of back to back tutoring sessions had her losing what grip she had on her patience.

Some kids genuinely wanted to learn to defend themselves, others were more interested in learning how to do fancy tricks with their weapons, preferring to look cool as opposed to actually knowing how to fight.

"Again," she said much more gently, reminding herself that a negative attitude never did anyone any good as she ran a hand over Luk's head to calm down.

In uncoordinated, sloppy movements, the teenagers in front of her brought the sticks in their hands upwards towards the sky, then sliced down through the air, before jabbing their knees up and their elbows out. They were meant to start the pattern over again, but a pair of girls in the very back broke off in giggles, whispering to each other giddily while a boy in the front just stopped still, yawning and prodding at a leaf with his stick.

"How's it going over here?" Bellamy's familiar voice floated over the gathered group, and the girls at the back instantly snapped to attention, smiling shyly at the attractive leader as they went through the movements once more, their movements awkward and clumsy.

"It'd be going better if our teacher spoke English," a smart-ass in the front mumbled passive-aggressively.

Bellamy's tense face got even tenser as he looked over the little stick of a kid, silently considering what to say in return. "You learn best you can or you leave to shove own dick up own ass," Vala said in an airy, pleasant tone that most certainly _did not_ match the words that left her mouth.

Bellamy started in shock while snickers broke out amongst the group, the boy in the front's cheeks turning a bright red.

The leader shifted so his back was to the kids, leaning down slightly so he could murmur to Vala without the young ones' keen ears overhearing. "Where the _hell_ did you learn that?" he whispered to her, unable to help the tone of amusement in his voice.

"Octavia teach me English," she said proudly, leaning back so she could look up into his face, a bright smile on her rosy but cracked lips, her caramel eyes shining with glee.

"Did she now?" he asked rhetorically, raising an eyebrow down at the smaller girl, a wide smirk on his own lips.

"Her speak me learn swift," she said brightly, and though most of that sentence was incorrect, Bellamy gave her several points for trying and several more for enthusiasm.

Deciding he'd come back to that one later, he glanced over his shoulder at the youngsters watching with eager, beady eyes. "These guys giving you any trouble?" he asked just as quietly, jabbing a finger over his shoulder in their direction.

"No trouble," she assured him, only half lying.

"Well," he said, turning around to face the group, an expectant look on his handsome face. "Let's see what they know so far."

Every single one of them looked uneasy and less than pleased by the request, but were all too scared to speak up. So, eyes filled with reluctance, they once more went through the motions Vala had been teaching them, some wobbling while others' hands shook so much that they dropped their sticks.

Bellamy turned to raised another eyebrow at her. "Still learn," she excused with a graceful wave of her hand.

"Vala!" a familiar voice to them both called, and the pair of adults looked over at the approaching Octavia, who held a hastily carved staff and several makeshift knives in her hands. She strode up to the Grounder girl, completely ignoring her brother, not even bothering to spare him so much as a glance. "It's about noon. Ready for our session?"

"I be come now," she nodded, turning back to the group who were all shifting their weight, clearly more than eager to be done with the lesson. "Go now." She'd barely finished the broken sentence before the teens were dropping their sticks, all but disappearing from the space they were in. "Octavia," she said with a nod, resting her staff along the sharp line of her shoulders, one arm thrown haphazardly over the wood. "Ready now."

"Hang on," Bellamy stopped them, stepping closer to Vala but glancing at his sister, who expertly avoided his gaze. "You've been at this since sunrise, have you even eaten yet?"

Vala shrugged uncaringly. "No need eat," she told him simply. She didn't mention how she'd sometimes gone weeks without eating so much as a scrap; a few hours was nothing.

Bellamy looked like he desperately wanted to argue, but Octavia shoved herself between them, making him pause. "She said she's fine, now leave us alone," his little sister spat, not once meeting his eyes as she wrapped her tiny hand around Vala's equally small one, pulling her away from the leader of the Sky people, not for a moment looking back.

Vala, on the other hand, glanced over her shoulder, noting the somewhat pained expression on Bellamy's face. She didn't want it to seem like she was choosing Octavia over him, but she also didn't want to hurt Octavia's feelings by blowing off their session and staying with her brother.

Able to do nothing more than send him a sympathetic look, she allowed the younger girl to drag her away, towards the edge of the camp where they did their two-times-a-day combat session.

Octavia was amazingly good at fighting, Vala found. The girl moved like she'd been doing it her whole life. Some of her movements were clumsy and clearly unpractised, but she had a strength in her that surprised the Grounder, who watched as she threw knives at a tree trunk. She was better with her staff, but Vala insisted on her learning knife skills, telling her it was essential for hunting, among other things.

She had good aim, all of her knives hitting the tree. However, very few of them buried into the wood, most just bouncing off onto the ground.

"Stand tall," Vala told the young girl. "Strong throw."

"That's what I'm _doing_ ," Octavia complained.

"This be easy," she continued with a small smirk. "Me do this, me be five year age."

"Oh come on, it is _not_ that easy-"

Octavia was cut off as a dagger flew passed her head, spinning gracefully in the air before it hit the tree trunk, sinking in to it's hilt. She gasped, shocked as the whole thing happened in the span of a second. Vala smirked widely, warm smugness curling in her gut pleasantly.

Octavia spun around, narrowing her eyes at Vala in mock annoyance. "No one likes a showoff," she murmured with a playful sneer, and the older girl merely smirked wider, the expression becoming crooked and showing several teeth.

She slipped passed her, casually strolling up to the tree and firmly grasping the handle of the dagger. Bracing one hand on the trunk, she tugged and wiggled the weapon, and after a moment of work, the knife slipped from the tree. She picked up Octavia's scattered attempts as she made her way back, handing them to the girl and gesturing for her to go again.

"So what's going on with you and my brother?" she asked as she parted her feet, straightening her back and closing one eye as she aimed, going through the motions of throwing the knife several times before actually doing it.

"No understand," Vala responded honestly, not grasping what she meant.

"Oh come on," Octavia snorted loudly, then frowned when her thrown knife bounced from the tree bark, landing in the dirt, "don't play dumb." Still genuinely not knowing what was happening, Vala decided it was best to remain silent. "Listen, I see the way you look at him; like he hung the moon – which he _didn't_ , by the way – and the way he looks at you; like you're the most beautiful and fascinating thing he's ever seen in his life." She gave a mock shiver, "it's sickening."

"No understand," Vala repeated, frowning at the girl, eyes imploring for an explanation she could actually grasp.

Octavia sighed, but not impatiently, turning from her task to give Vala her full attention. "I'm _saying_ , that Vala," she began pointedly, holding out one hand like it was on display, "and Bellamy," she held out her other one, "want to be _together_ ," she finished, slapping her hands together and rubbing them against one another suggestively.

Vala cocked a single eyebrow, clearly more than unimpressed with her words and obscene hand gestures.

Suddenly Octavia paused, a curious expression melting over her pretty features. "Um, are you even, I mean, do you even like boys, or do you 'bat for a different team', as it were?" she asked tentatively, observing the other girl carefully, wondering if she was just shoving her foot further down her throat.

"What?" Vala asked, this time with definite impatience, not having a single idea what the youngest Blake sibling was on about.

"Do you like girls or boys?" Octavia simplified with a sigh.

Finally at least somewhat understanding what was being asked, she lifted a shoulder in a halfhearted shrug. " _Ai hod in_ _em ai_ _hod in,_ " she recited, causing the other girl to send her a confused glance. Not knowing the translation, she merely placed a hand over her heart pointedly.

"You mean love?" Octavia asked, apparently having her brother's uncanny ability to decipher the Grounder girl's attempts at communication.

"Love," Vala nodded, assuming they were talking about the same thing. She pursed her lips, trying to use the new word to translate. "I love them I love," she finally said, hoping Octavia would understand.

"You mean, you don't have a preference, you just love the person for who they are?"

Vala wasn't sure what she'd said, but she nodded, too exhausted to bother trying to communicate in more detail.

"And do you love Bellamy?"

She looked up in surprise at the sudden question. "Bellamy friend," she answered her sincerely. Of course she loved Bellamy. In the short time they'd known each other, they'd grown closer than she'd known was possible. No relationship from her past even closely resembled the friendship she felt they shared. She found Bellamy attractive, there was no doubt about that, but she wasn't sure she wanted to compromise the bond they shared by taking things to such a place.

Besides, the boy from the sky deserved better than a girl raised by wolves.

Octavia rolled her eyes at the evasive answer. "Whatever," she mumbled, though she wasn't annoyed, merely exasperated by the Grounder's responses.

"Keep throw," Vala instructed her, watching with a trained eye as the girl turned back to her task.

"Can't you at least just convince him to let me go up and see the Grounder?" she all but pleaded, though she never removed her eyes from her target.

It wasn't the first time she'd asked her this question. She'd begged every time she'd seen the older woman, hoping beyond hope that she'd do this favour for her.

Vala decided that, instead of turning her down for a hundredth time, she'd stay silent, which was really answer enough.

Eventually Octavia had had enough, and there was a line of people waiting for time with the Grounder – only on Bellamy's orders, of course – so she let her go, moving back to her place in the metal cave where she spent the majority of her time.

Vala was about to move on to her next task, but noticed one of the girl's daggers still laying on the ground by the tree. She picked it up, moving to follow her into the cave. She was just about to step inside when the sound of raised, angry voices made her pause just outside.

"He's still dangerous!" Bellamy growled to someone else.

"Only because of what you did," Octavia's voice floated out after him, and somehow Vala knew they were talking about the Grounder.

"Whatever twisted connection you think you have with that animal, forget it!"

"What, like the twisted connection _you_ have with _Vala_?" The Grounder froze at the mention of her own name, tilting her head as she struggled to take in the quickly spoken words, attempting as best she could to translate and still keep up.

"That's different and you know it," Bellamy snapped furiously.

"How?" Octavia cried. " _How_ is it different?!"

"Vala's not like them! She's not like _him_!"

Octavia muttered something under her breath that the Grounder didn't catch.

"You don't get to see him! End of conversation," Bellamy grunted, and she heard his footsteps on the metal floor as he turned to leave.

"Why do you even care if I ruined your life? You should want me to go up there. Maybe you'll get lucky and he'll kill me. Problem solved."

"Octavia, you know I didn't mean that."

Things were silent, and Vala turned when she heard footsteps coming towards her. Clarke was walking out from what they were calling the 'communications tent'. She headed for the cave, shooting Vala a weak smile before ducking inside. Deciding she would just hold on to the knife for now, she slipped it into her pocket and turned around, heading for the rations table.

Bellamy was right about one thing, she did need to eat.

"There's my favourite Grounder!" Jasper's voice rang out as she approached, bouncing up to her with a wide grin on his pale lips. His enthusiasm was contagious, and a moment later Vala found herself smiling as brightly as usual. "Have you tried these?" he asked, holding out a handful of familiar nuts.

"Jobi nuts," she said in recognition.

"Jobi nuts?" Jasper echoed, holding one up to the light and shrugging. "Good of a name as any, I guess," he hummed, throwing the nut into the air and catching it in his mouth with practised ease.

"No many," she warned as best she could, grimacing as she knew it wasn't coming out as well as it should have. "One few one time."

"What?" he asked, a curious smirk on his face.

"Make you be see strange," she tried to say, not sure she was translating correctly. How did she say that eating too any would cause visions and delirium?

Jasper chuckled. "What?" he asked again, and she pursed her lips, wondering how to tell him.

Before she could find the words, she felt someone approach. Hand moving to her knife, she glanced casually over her shoulder, instantly relaxing when she saw it was just Bellamy.

"Ah, our fearless leader," Jasper chirped playfully. "What can we do for you?"

"I need to speak to Vala," he grunted in reply.

Jasper snickered along with Monty beside him, smirking mischievously at the pair. "Surprise, surprise," he muttered comically, watching with bright eyes as Vala popped a few nuts and berries into her mouth before nodding at them politely and all but skipping to Bellamy's side.

She was forcing the cheer slightly more than usual, something about the conversation she'd overheard the siblings having made her feel uneasy, though she didn't know what. "Yes, our fearless leader?" she asked lightly, merely copying Jasper's words, as he led her over to the edge of the camp, along the outer wall.

"No," he shook his head, and she was concerned when he didn't roll his eyes and smirk as he usually did when she tried (and failed) to use English words. "You know our plan?" he asked in a hushed tone, glancing over his shoulder like he was worried someone might listen in. "The one we spoke about the other night?"

"Run away _en_ me be protect you _kom_ monsters?" she replied innocently, making him pause for a moment at how ridiculously emasculating her words felt.

But he had more important things to handle than his damaged masculinity.

"We're leaving now," he told her succinctly.

Vala's eyes widened at the news. "Now?" she repeated, strong brows pulling together in surprise.

"Clarke spoke to the Ark, they want us to go find an old shelter a few miles from here, they think it'll have supplies to help the camp through the winter. We can check it out, and then slip away when Clarke isn't paying attention," he said softly.

"Bellamy sure this be Bellamy want?" Vala asked him softly, staring up at him with wide, concerned eyes that actually hurt to stare back into.

He looked away, scanning the camp with emotionless eyes, trying to convince himself it was. "Get what you need," he finally said, looking back at her with a frown. "Meet you back here in five."

She nodded, but paused before completely turning away. "Say goodbye Octavia?" she asked, glancing over to the metal cave, where she knew the man's sister was sitting within.

"No," Bellamy shook his head. "She'll get suspicious. We leave without saying anything."

The idea of leaving her newfound friends, especially Octavia, Jasper and Clarke, made her feel sick. But she couldn't let Bellamy go out on his own, and, truth be told, she didn't want to leave him. Ever.

And that scared her.

Deciding it best not to say anything, she merely turned and headed for the food. She threw several berries into her mouth, savouring the taste. Her eyes slid over the happenings of the camp.

She watched a small group of boys huddle around a fire, a pair of girls practising their fighting techniques with old sticks. She looked on as Jasper and Monty playfully threw Jobi nuts into one another's mouths. A lone line of the oldest boys were erecting one of the final parts of the wall, and some young girls were watching them work, whispering and giggling to themselves.

It had been a long time since Vala had been a part of something, a part of a people. The Sky people may not have been _her_ people, but they accepted her, and that was all she ever wanted. Luk yipped at her feet, and she reached down to weave her fingers through his coat, enjoying the coarse fur as it brushed her palm.

She looked over herself to check she had everything she needed.

Her knives were strapped to her legs, her staff was secured on her back. Her sister's bracelet was tied around her wrist, and her armour was all fully in place.

For a moment she felt sad. She had so very little, though she supposed worldly possessions weren't important in the end. She nodded to herself, glancing down at her canine companion for strength, then moving back to where she'd said she'd meet Bellamy.

She was the first one there, and leaned against the opening in the wall as she patiently waited for her friends to arrive.

Clarke was the first to appear, holding on to the strap of her backpack and raising her delicate brows at Vala. "What're you doing?" she asked, though not unkindly.

"Bellamy say me _gon we,_ also," she said, unable to remember the English word, and instead just using one of her own, hoping the blonde haired healer would know what she meant.

"You're coming with us?" Clarke asked in surprise, adjusting the strap of her bag.

"I figure we could use the extra protection," Bellamy said, appearing at her side, bag of his own thrown over his shoulder.

"Since when?"

"Since we have a Grounder in our drop ship."

Clarke still looked confused. "Wouldn't it make more sense for her to stay here? Protect the camp?" Her expression melted into something almost playful, though not quite. "Can't handle being away from her that long?"

Bellamy rolled his eyes, but the movement lacked heart. "You're right, Princess," he told her dryly. "We suffer terrible separation anxiety. Best she comes along, lest I cease to function."

Though not entirely convinced, the joking banter was enough to get Clarke to drop it, nodding her head and slipping into the forest, leading the way. Bellamy held out a hand, motioning for the Grounder girl to follow in front of him, giving him time to collect himself before he trailed after them.

They walked in silence for a long time, all three lost in their own worlds.

Clarke was focused on the task at hand, strictly forcing herself _not_ to think of Finn or Raven; Vala was trying not to think about how severely _wrong_ it felt to be leaving the 100 alone; and Bellamy was trying not to think about how _terrible_ he felt about leaving Octavia, or how _pleased_ he was that Vala was leaving with him.

A sense of strange possessiveness flared in him, catching him by surprise. She was literally running away with him, what did that mean she felt for him? Did it go beyond friendship and respect?

"Maybe this base will be secure enough for us to live in through the winter," Clarke said unexpectedly, stepping over a fallen log and peeking back at the silent pair behind her. "What do you do during the winter?" she asked Vala suddenly, feeling like she could kick herself for not asking sooner.

"Move down," she shrugged, lifting a shoulder and pushing a low hanging branch out of her way before pointing south. "Be warm. Live within cave, eat so little."

The blonde grimaced at the not-so-pretty picture she painted. "We'll call that plan B," Bellamy said with a weak smirk, and Vala smiled although she didn't understand, and the healer merely faced the front, returning to the silence.

"You know, the first drop ship's gonna come down soon," she spoke up after a long hour, popping a berry into her mouth and very pointedly _not_ glancing back at Bellamy, breaking the thoughtful stupor he was in. "Pretty sure you can't avoid Jaha forever."

"I can try," the tall man clipped back gruffly.

Taking the hint, Clarke sealed her lips shut and focused on putting on foot in front of the other, continuing to munch on her small array of rations.

They persevered in silence, none of them finding it hostile, but also not completely comfortable.

"The bunker is supposed to be around here," Clarke spoke suddenly, pausing at the top of a ridge. Luk yipped at their feet, snuffling into the damp soil noisily, "...somewhere."

"There's gotta be a door," Bellamy said roughly, eyes sweeping the area, forcing himself not to glance back to Vala, who was balancing on a sharp edged rock, arms held out to steady herself.

"Maybe he'll be lenient," the blonde continued, bringing back the conversation from before.

"I shot the man, Clarke," he snapped, turning to shoot her a contentious scowl. "He's not just going to forgive and forget." He sighed through his nose, the sound sharp and tired, "let's just split up; we'll cover more ground. Stay within shouting distance." He finally allowed himself to glance over at Vala, who felt the eyes on her instantly, dropping to the solid ground, all her attention on the leader. "Be careful," he told her surlily, and though his animosity wasn't aimed at her, she still frowned at the intensity of it. He spun around, heading off before he could do any more damage.

"Go that way," Clarke told her swiftly, gesturing to the north. "Shout if you see any sort of door or hatch." She paused, eyeing the Grounder carefully. "Do you understand?" she asked slowly, like the wild girl was an idiot.

Just barely stopping herself from rolling her eyes, Vala nodded her head. "Find door; scream," she translated with only a slightly sour tone, and though it wasn't exactly what she had in mind, Clarke let it go with a nod, turning around and heading west. " _Come, Luk,_ " the Grounder murmured to her companion once they were alone, and the dog perked up in attention. " _Find something that doesn't belong_ ," she told him, before pausing when she once more felt eyes on her.

Her hand flew to her knife as she glanced over her right shoulder, then her left. Clarke was focused on the base of a tree, and Bellamy was kicking at a large rock by the hill. She slid her eyes across the forest behind her, keen eyes searching for any hint of something amiss.

" _Stay alert_ ," she told Luk after a minute, pulling out her dagger and holding it in a tense hand. She couldn't shake the sinking feeling in her gut, and she now knew it had to do with more than her plans to run with Bellamy.

She started forwards, moving through the forest adeptly, her dirty, calloused feet barely even feeling the cold that she was so painfully used to.

She continued, eyeing every strange looking patch of grass or oddly placed rock in her path. She did a full sweep of the area Clarke had pointed to, moving much quicker than either of the Sky people. She paused by the base of the hill, fishing out a berry and tossing it to Luk, smiling when he caught it with a deft snap of his jaws.

Hearing approaching footsteps, Vala spun around, knife brandished preparedly in front of her. "Done already?" Clarke asked calmly, acting like the Grounder hadn't unintentionally threatened her.

"No door," she shook her head and clicked her tongue. She felt eyes on her again, she could tell by the way her hair stood on end and the back of her neck prickled irritatingly.

"You okay?" the blonde asked her cautiously, glancing over her shoulder to see the woman standing rigidly, knuckles white from the tight grasp of her weapon as she stared cautiously into the forest.

"Hm?" Vala hummed in response, not moving her eyes from the shadows.

"You seem tense," she commented as lightly as she was able, glancing down at the hay-covered ground, eyebrows raising when she spotted a hint of shiny metal.

"Bad feel be in gut," she murmured in reply, and Clarke instantly knew she wasn't talking about an illness, but she was too distracted to give it further thought.

"Bellamy!" she shouted suddenly, leaning around the Grounder to eye where she'd last seen the tall leader – all thoughts about the Vala's intuition being thrown out the window as she got distracted. "Over here, I found a door!"

He appeared over the ridge, making his way down the incline surprisingly quickly, sliding to a stop by Vala's side. Clarke was already bent down, brushing the dead leaves and grass off the metal door. Bellamy leant down to help her, his strong hands pulling at the debris easily while Vala kept a sharp, wary eye on the boundary, her hand still tight around the knife handle.

Years upon years living alone in the wilderness had sharpened Vala's senses to an almost supernatural level. She had to constantly be aware of her surroundings, aware of the dangers lurking in the shadows that she wouldn't ordinarily be able to notice. So she knew, better than anyone, when danger was coming.

"I think it's rusted shut," Clarke said from behind her, but she didn't spare a moment to turn and look. Bellamy murmured back, and there was the loud clanging of metal-hitting-metal until a groan filled the air and the pair sighed in relief.

"Coming?" Bellamy's deep voice asked from behind her, breaking her out of her intense stare.

"I be ground," she told him, finally glancing away from the tree line. "I protect you."

He rolled his eyes, but the expression was more fond than exasperated. "We're fine," he told her gently, shuffling closer and holding a hand out to her without a second thought. "Come on," he urged, and she, also without a second thought, slid her free hand into his, squeezing softly as she allowed him to pull her down the stairs and into the underground cave after Clarke.

Vala briefly had a worry about possible Reapers, but decided they were probably safe this far from the Mountain.

"You really think this place hasn't been touched since the war?" Bellamy asked, taking the light from the blonde with his free hand, the other still absently in Vala's.

"A girl can dream," Clarke muttered in response, turning on her own light and shining it at the shadows.

Clarke led them, stepping over mysterious puddles and broken boxes, as Bellamy followed after her, pulling Vala along after him, her eyes were practically glued to the path behind them, like she expected danger to appear at any second. Luk trotted beside them, pausing to snuffle at a box or nudge a cobweb every few metres.

Suddenly the canine growled, coming to an abrupt stop, fur standing on end as he snarled at something warningly. Clarke shone the light in front of them, cringing when she caught sight of a mostly decayed skeleton laying half propped up against the concrete wall.

"Hell of a place to die," Bellamy commented with a frown, carefully stepping over the carcass so as to not disturb the remains.

"So much for living down here," Clarke muttered with a grimace. "This place is disgusting." She shined her light over some smashed boxes in the corner, clearly pillaged of whatever was within. "Dammit," she cursed, running a dirty hand across her forehead.

"Anything left down here is ruined," he said, stepping closer to the boxes, only to be stopped by Vala's hand still attached to his.

He hadn't even realised he'd still been holding her hand, their fingers gotten tangled together somewhere along the way. Suddenly uncomfortable, Bellamy relaxed his grip and Vala copied him, allowing him to slip his hand from hers, ignoring how hollow and cold he felt once the contact was gone.

"They must have distributed the last of the supplies before the last bombs went off," Clarke said to nobody in particular, the interaction between Bellamy and the Grounder going unnoticed. She wandered away from them, heading for some apparently untouched boxes along the far wall.

Bellamy shone his light at a bin, reaching inside and pulling out what he knew to be a glow stick. He cracked it in his hands with ease, shaking it gently until it lit up with a dull, orange glow.

"Ooh," Vala hummed in sheer fascination, abandoning her tense watch of the shadows to move over to his side, reaching out to tentatively touch the stick, caramel eyes wide with barely concealed awe.

"It's a glow stick," Bellamy muttered softly, unable to help the frown that seemed permanently etched onto his face.

"Glo-sti-ka," she tried to copy the word, taking the stick with a wide smile when he handed it to her, holding it right up to her eye and waving it around excitedly, enraptured by the glow. The tense frown lifted slightly, lips twitching up in something he wouldn't _quite_ call a smile.

"Hey, I found blankets!" Clarke called from the other side of the room, and instantly his lightened expression melted back into a familiar scowl.

"You're excited about a couple of blankets?" he called back gruffly, less than impressed.

"Well, it's _something_ ," she retorted, letting the lid to the box fall shut.

"Well how about a canteen? Or a med-kit?" he shouted before he could help himself, his emotions getting the better of him. "Or a decent fucking tent!"

Vala looked away from the glow stick in her hand, eyeing her friend in concern as she watched him angrily kick over a metal barrel. She didn't react, merely slipping the new glowing item into a strap on her waist and gazing over at the mess with a frown. Luk yipped and darted away from the dark liquid the barrel contained, scampering off down the hall. Vala figured he was just spooked, or more likely dirty, and wanted privacy to get himself clean again.

She noticed the clicking sound at the same time as the others, staring down at the contents of the bin with wide eyes, this time more from fear than any kind of awe.

As a rule, her old clan didn't like guns. Guns almost always meant Mountain Men, which was never a good thing in their books. Guns had only brought pain and destruction, and while she didn't care if the Sky People had them, she wanted no part in their existence. "Oh my God," Bellamy muttered, crouching down by the wet guns and smiling, clearly more pleased than Vala was.

"What?" Clarke asked, alarmed.

He merely held up one of the weapons, showing it to his blonde co-leader with a wide, triumphant grin.

"Guns?" she asked, tone dangerously close to disbelief. Vala stayed where she was, unwilling to get any closer to the offending weapons.

"This changes everything!" Bellamy exclaimed, pushing himself to his feet and beginning to pick up the black rifles, eyeing them appreciatively. "No more running from spears. Ready to be a badass Clarke?"

Vala wasn't sure exactly what that meant, and as they continued talking, too quickly for her to be able to keep up, she merely faded into the shadows, leaning against the wall and turning her attention back to the glow stick.

It was pretty, and reminded her of the butterflies in the valley to the south, or the worms in the cave on her and Bellamy's lake. She was glad she would be able to bring something with her that reminded her of their special place, like she could keep a piece of the lake with her as she travelled far away with Bellamy.

She questioned, not for the first time, why she'd agreed to leave with him. But she realised quickly that she had nothing keeping her in the forest. Bellamy was her friend, her _only_ friend, and she was excited about the fact that maybe she didn't have to be alone anymore. Maybe she could experience her life with someone, instead of only having Luk for company.

The _BANG_ of a gun pulled her from her thoughts, and her knife was held out in front of her as she turned to the sound, prepared to defend herself at a moment's notice. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, but after a long second she realised it wasn't any kind of attack, merely Clarke and Bellamy testing the weapons, shooting at a ratty old flag across the room.

"That was amazing," Clarke said with clear wonderment, not noticing Vala's violent reaction. "Am I horrible for feeling that?" she asked Bellamy, who _had_ noticed Vala's response, but decided not to draw attention to it.

Bellamy smiled at the blonde and shook his head. "Try again," he told her with a nod.

"No, we shouldn't waste the ammunition," she argued.

"You _need_ to practise."

"We _need_ to talk about how we're going to keep guns around camp. Where are we going to keep them, and who has access?"

Bellamy fired a gun this time, and Vala was able to stop herself from flinching, the only sign of reaction a tightening of her jaw.

"You left Miller in charge of the Grounder," Clarke continued, looking up at him with intelligent eyes. "You must trust him."

Only Vala noticed his beat of hesitation. "You should keep him close," he said, not meeting the healer's eyes. "The others listen to him."

" _I_ should keep him close?" she asked, confused by his phrasing. She stepped around him, facing him properly as she looked up at him imploringly. "Bellamy, what's going on? You've been acting weird all day." It was silent, but no matter how much he wished she wouldn't figure it out, it was the Princess, and of course she did. "All the rations you took," she said suddenly, glancing down at his bag. Her eyes flickered up to Vala, and they narrowed in realisation. "Insisting Vala come with us; you're gonna run. _That's_ why you agreed to come with me. You were just going to load up on supplies and disappear, taking our biggest asset with you to make it easier!"

"I don't have a choice," he growled back, meeting her eyes, fire blazing in his own. "The Ark will be here soon."

"So you're just going to leave Octavia?"

"Octavia hates me, she'll be fine."

"You don't know-"

"I shot the Chancellor! They're gonna kill me, Clarke. Best case scenario: they lock me up with the Grounder for the rest of my life and there's no way in hell I'm giving Jaha the satisfaction." He stopped, unable to go on. Vala was having a hard time following, but several words stood out to her, none of them good. "Keep practising, I need some air," he finally muttered, spinning around and heading for the door, disappearing into the dark, only his footsteps letting them know he hadn't vanished.

Vala paused. She didn't want to leave Clarke alone, but she was loathe to allow Bellamy up on the ground by himself. The blonde healer noticed her indecision. "You're just going to go with him?" she asked tightly, gun aimed at the floor as she spoke, eyes narrowed at her through the darkness. "Just going to leave us? All of us?"

Vala frowned thoughtfully, running a finger over the glistening silver of her dagger. "Bellamy friend," she tried to explain, strong brows pulled together.

"And I'm not?" Clarke responded. "Or Octavia? Jasper?"

She let out a puff of air. "Bellamy stay, Bellamy die," she told her seriously, trying to get the younger girl to understand.

"I can make sure that won't happen," she countered. "Running isn't brave; it's cowardly." Vala only shot her a confused look, not knowing those words. Huffing a sigh, she put the gun back down, wiping the grease covering her hands off on the material of her pants. "The truth is, we need him," she told the Grounder, voice overflowing with sincerity. "We need _both_ of you."

Vala could tell she had a point. "Bellamy be strong mind," she said seriously, meeting Clarke's eyes in the orange radiance of the glow stick.

"If anyone's going to be able to convince him to stay, it's you."

Vala wasn't sure that was true, and her frown said as much.

"Go up and bring him back," she continued after a long and silent minute. "We have work to do."


	12. Silent In The Trees

_I know where you stand_

 _Silent in the trees_

 _And that's where I am_

 _Silent in the trees._

 _Why won't you speak_

 _Where I happen to be?_

 _Silent in the trees_

 _Standing cowardly._

Trees – Twenty One Pilots

* * *

Vala was on her way back up to the surface when she heard a pained whimper.

She recognised the sound immediately; of course she did, it was her best friend. All worries for Bellamy flew from her mind, her sole focus now on Luk. Saying nothing in case there was danger near, she merely slipped her knife out of her belt, footsteps silent on the damp earth as she headed to the source of the mewl.

She noticed tracks heading away from the hatch, clearly Bellamy's, then spotted the canine treads moving east. Her keen ears were tuned to every little sound, tensing at everything from the breeze through the trees to the pained sounds her friend was making.

She found him, finally, resting against the base of a tree. It was dark, only the light of the moon and the glow from her new stick lighting the way. Her breath caught in her throat and as she swept the area, making sure they were alone as best she could before she rushed to Luk's side, hands moving to his bloody coat.

" _Luk_ ," she breathed, voice catching with pain.

The dog whimpered again, the visible big black eye rolling around in it's socket for a moment before focusing up at her, pupil exploded in clear distress.

" _What happened?_ " she asked him in Trigedasleng, gently prodding the large gash splitting the skin along his side. He yipped pathetically, teeth clenched against the pain. The wound was jagged but deep, and she recognised the weapon responsible as a makeshift knife, carved from metal or stone. One thing was clear; this wasn't an accident.

She peered at the wound closer, shelving her wild anger, focusing on taking care of her friend.

" _I'm no healer_ ," she began, talking to him conversationally as she used to, back when it was just the two of them against the world. " _But it doesn't look so bad. Some water and rest and you'll be back on your paws in no time at all._ "

Luk only wheezed tiredly.

She didn't know what to do. They couldn't stay out in the open, and Luk clearly couldn't walk back on his own. She only had one option, and she only hoped she wasn't asking too much. "Bellamy!" she shouted to the forest in the direction she thought he had gone in. She waited a long moment, frowning when she heard nothing. "Bellamy!" she tried again, a touch of desperation in her voice.

Luk whimpered once more, and she looked down at him, eyes flickering to the wound as she sucked in a sharp breath of realisation. If it wasn't an accident, then they weren't as alone as they thought they were.

Fear gripped her, white hot and painful as it travelled up her throat. Bellamy was in danger. It was a decision she never wanted to make, choosing between comforting Luk or saving Bellamy, but she had to make it, and quickly. How did she know she wasn't leaving her loyal companion to die? Would he hate her for leaving him alone in the forest, bleeding out onto the dirt? " _Bellamy is in danger_ ," she told Luk shakily, scratching his favourite spot just behind his ear. " _I have to go to him. I'll be right back, Luk. I'd never leave you,_ " she assured him passionately.

She leant down, pressing her lips to the long bridge of his nose and holding them there for a long moment before breaking away and pushing herself to her feet. She picked up her discarded knife, putting it back in it's place on her thigh and instead pulling out her staff, turning around and running head first into the dark, still forest.

She wasn't sure where he was, and it was too dark to properly see the prints, so all she could do was run. She ran as fast and as hard as she could – which was very – not willing to shout out to him in case it alerted whoever their enemy was to their position.

She hoped it wasn't someone from the clan, but who else could it possibly be? A Reaper wouldn't leave Luk with so little injury, and the Mountain Men only used guns.

She pushed herself harder, running and running, doing a loop of the area they'd been in, until _finally_ she heard shouts.

"Get the hell off him!" Clarke's familiar voice hollered from just beyond her, and Vala threw herself into the clearing, lunging at the figure leaning over Bellamy.

Vala wasn't very violent by nature. Sure, she could be when it came to survival, to protection, but at her core she was a gentle pacifist, a fact Bellamy was very sure of. He was stunned, then, when the boy over him was flung into the mud, a tiny girl full of rare rage sitting atop his chest, pummelling her fist into his face.

"Don't dare touch Bellamy," she shrieked at him in pure fury. She hit the boy in the eye, baring her teeth at him and snarling savagely before finally pushing herself up, refusing to glance down at him _or_ her bloody hands. "Bellamy?" she asked gently, in great contrast to her previous outburst. She looked over her friend who lay stunned in the mud, face dirt-smeared and blood-caked.

"Vala!" he shouted warningly, startling her just before a hit took her legs out from under her. She dropped to the ground but spun out of the way of another punch. She picked up the staff she'd discarded, swinging it at the violent boy's head. He yelped, jumping back just before he got splinters in his eyes.

She kicked out her leg, this time taking her attackers legs out from under him. He fell on his ass, and she leapt at him once more, screaming ferociously as she hit him again. Unfortunately, she was so blinded by her fear and rage, she failed to feel him slip her dagger from it's sheath.

A hand bunched in her hair, yanking her up to her feet as the tip of her blade pressed into her throat with enough pressure for blood to trickle down her dirty skin.

"I didn't want to have to kill anyone but you, Blake," the crazy boy said, pushing the knife in harder. "This is _your_ fault."

"Let her go," Bellamy said, climbing to his knees but not daring to go any higher, hands held out placatingly, voice rough with despair.

"No witnesses," was all the boy said, pulling his arm back and preparing to slash her throat.

Vala recognised a sheen of fear in Bellamy's dark gaze, pure terror and pain in his expression. She was warmed to know he cared so much, but knew he didn't have to worry.

The boy's movements were slow and sloppy, and it was more than easy to drop from his hold, surprising him and making him over balance. She knew his type, and she knew he wasn't going to stop, not until he accomplished what he'd set out to do.

So, with great remorse, she twirled around him, small but blood-soaked hands grasping either side of his jaw and twisting.

A sickening _snap_ echoed through the otherwise silent clearing, and the boy went limp, falling to the ground in a quick and painless death. Vala stared down at the body blankly, only a crease appearing between her strong brows. She murmured a soft saying for remorse, wishing his spirit well before she turned her full attention to Bellamy.

She moved forwards, reaching out a hand that he hesitated to grasp. Finally skin met skin, and she heaved him to his feet. He stumbled for a moment, no doubt seriously injured by the boy, making another flare of anger burn with Vala. She held on to his arm, steadying him. Once she was sure he was stable and not about to keel over, she dove at him.

He grunted in pain as she bumped into cuts and bruises, but she couldn't have cared less, merely overflowing with relief that he was alive and here with her. She clung to him, too content to be embarrassed. Her arms tightened around his waist and her head pressed into his neck. She breathed in deeply, letting his comforting scent fill her, even if it was marred by the smell of blood and mud.

Quickly, and probably painfully, his arms moved around her to return the gesture, pulling her to his body, pretending it didn't make him feel a hundred times safer. It took a lot to rattle Vala, and he warmed even as the rain began to fall, when she tightened her hold, like she never wanted to let him go.

The feeling was mutual.

"You're okay," Clarke gasped for breath, staring up at the pair with watery, relieved eyes. Eventually they broke apart, and Bellamy looked away as he pressed his lips to Vala's crown before he turned and stumbled over to Clarke, reluctantly letting the Grounder go and collapsing none too gently at the healer's side.

"No, I'm not," he shook his head, staring into the wet and dark forest with a haunted look in his eyes. Vala gave the Sky people their space, moving around the small clearing and picking up the weapons that had been lost in the battle. "My mother...if she knew what I'd done..." She wiped her knife off, slipping it back into it's sheath. "Who I am...she raised me to be better, to be good."

"Bellamy-"

"And all I do is hurt people," he continued distraughtly. "I'm a monster."

"Hey," Clarke said, struggling to sit up properly. "You saved my life today. Vala's too. And you may be a total ass half the time, but...I need you. We all _need_ you. None of us would have survived this place if it wasn't for you. You want forgiveness? Fine, I'll give it to you, you're forgiven, okay? But you can't run, Bellamy. You have to come back with me." She paused, glancing up at Vala who had given up pretending like she wasn't listening, standing over the pair and watching with compassionate eyes. " _Both_ of you do. You have to face it."

The man hesitated, eyes finally meeting hers in the gloom. "Like you faced your mom?" he asked, attempting snide but just hitting sad.

"You're right, I don't wanna face my mom. I don't wanna face any of it. All I think about every day is how we're going to keep everyone alive," she responded, bordering on hysterical. "But we don't have a choice."

Bellamy sniffled, an action he would forever deny. "Jaha will kill me when he comes down," he said matter-of-factly, glancing at Vala briefly.

"We'll figure something out," Clarke swore.

He scoffed, but the sound was more accepting than anything else. "Can we figure it out later?" he asked softly, tipping his head back against the tree and sighing up at the stars.

Clarke copied the action as Vala merely stared down at them, understanding in her eyes. "Whenever you're ready," the blonde told him reassuringly, letting her eyes slip closed tiredly.

Deciding the moment between the leaders was over, Vala stepped forwards, hesitating only a moment before sinking down in front of Bellamy. She didn't want to say anything to upset him, or disappoint him, but she _had_ to speak her mind. "I want stay," she admitted, and he looked away from the stars and into her eyes. "I find home be in Sky people _en_ metal cave. No want leave."

Bellamy watched her for a long time, eyes alight with intelligence and understanding. "We'll stay," he eventually told her solemnly, bowing his head more out of tiredness than anything. "Octavia's grown fond of you and Luk anyway."

Hearing the name of her companion made her spine stiffen, and she gasped, horror appearing in her open expression.

"What?" he asked in alarm, shifting his weight forwards and trying not to wince in pain.

"Luk!" she cried, scrambling to her feet. Knowing she needed Bellamy's help to move him, she reached down and impatiently grasped his arm. "Fast! Luk hurt!"

Although it was painful and difficult, he let her tug him to his feet, limping after her as she raced through the trees. Clarke did the same, albeit reluctantly.

"What happened?" Bellamy asked with dread once they finally stumbled ungracefully into the clearing Luk was laying in, his sharp breaths filling the cool night air.

Vala was already kneeling by her companion's side, one hand pressed to his chest, the other scratching behind his ear. "Evil man hurt Luk," she tried to say, but it came out as more of a broken whisper. _"Beja Luk, ge smak daun, gyon op nodotaim_ ," she begged her companion in their language, the sound of the lilting words making Bellamy's insides twinge with pain and sympathy.

"Clarke," he said instantly, awkwardly kneeling on the dog's other side, turning to look up at the Sky girl expectantly, a glint of a plea in his dark eyes. "Do something."

"Like what?" she asked incredulously from where she stood at the tree line. "Before two weeks ago, I'd never seen a real dog in my life!"

"It can't be that much different to a human!" he argued, knowing even as he spoke that what he was saying was ridiculous.

"Bellamy," she said softly. "There's nothing I can-"

"It be okay," Vala spoke up, keeping her eyes on her best friend, watching as his chest rose and fell with each struggling breath. She sniffled, eyes filling with tears. "Luk be old. Luk be good life. Luk leave be peace now."

"Are-are you going to...put him out of his misery?" Clarke asked tentatively, anxiously winding her fingers together. Vala didn't make a move to show she'd understood or even heard. "A mercy kill?"

A tear trickled down her cheek, unseen by Clarke, as only Bellamy was close enough to notice. He winced, following the trail the droplet made in the kohl smears on her scarred face. "No," she shook her head, voice and eyes tight with stubbornness.

"Clarke," Bellamy began, not moving his eyes from a clearly agonised Vala. "Why don't you take the light and go back to the bunker; start gathering guns and ammo to take back to camp? We'll meet you there soon."

The healer hesitated. "Are you sure-?"

"I don't think there're any others out to get us," he said, glancing over at the girl. "It's within shouting distance anyway."

Although she didn't agree, she could tell he wanted her gone, simply because he knew it was probably what Vala needed. She and Clarke were friends, yes, but not in the way she and Bellamy were. Though reluctant, she understood, and moved forwards to press her palm to Vala's shoulder, squeezing reassuringly, letting her know she was there for her, before she turned and disappeared into the forest, only the light from her torch telling them where she was.

Bellamy was exhausted and in a hell of a lot of pain, but he gave Vala his undivided attention anyway, watching her in concern, taking in the tears in his eyes and the grief on her face like none that he'd ever seen before.

Uncaring that Bellamy was there, she began to talk. " _You're my best friend, Luk. What will I do with you gone?_ " she asked him in distraught Trigedasleng. She leaned forwards, pressing her forehead against the spot above his wound. His breaths were pained and heavy, and another tear dripped into his thick, matted fur. " _Thank you for everything, my dear friend._ "

Still pressed to the panting dog's middle, she began to hum through her tears. The sound was weak at best, but she powered on. When they first met, she would sing this song at night when they were alone in the forest, both so small and young, both terrified and not sure if they'd last until the sun rose that day, or even the one after.

It was a song her mother had sung to her growing up. She'd long since forgotten the words, but the melody had always remained with her, comforting her when nothing else could.

Bellamy watched as she grieved over her dying comrade, listening to her as she sang. He was reminded of that day only few weeks ago (though it felt like a lifetime) when they'd hidden in the cave from the acid fog with a terrified Charlotte, and she'd sang to the girl, lulling her to sleep.

He'd never known a connection with an animal, having grown up without them on the Ark, but he couldn't imagine the pain of losing the one being who had been there for twelve years, couldn't imagine losing his only friend.

Unable to watch and do nothing, he reached forwards, curling his fingers around her shoulder, much like Clarke had done, only the action was somehow weightier.

She leaned into his touch, and drawn into her like a magnet, he shuffled closer, letting go of her shoulder to wrap his arm gently around her back, pulling her into his side and let her cry into his chest.

She wasn't loud or hysterical, in fact she was nearly silent, the only sound she made other than humming being the occasional whimper, and he held her tighter as she shook.

" _Yu gonplei ste odon_ ," she whispered to her friend once the song was over, and Bellamy instantly recognised the words. After she spoke them, the clearing fell silent, and he realised that no more could he hear the sounds of Luk's pained panting.

He winced, feeling an unexpected pain in his chest; just another agonising weight on his shoulders after the night – or should he say year – he'd had.

Vala sniffled once, wiped her eyes with her dirty hands, only serving to smudge the kohl already there, and looked up at Bellamy with large, watery, heartbroken eyes. "Will we bury him?" he asked her softly, reaching up to brush her wet hair from her eyes, the action tender in a way he hadn't known he was capable of.

"Burn him," she corrected with a shake of her head.

It was easy enough to start a fire, Vala was more than experienced at it. She said a final goodbye to her beloved friend before the flames engulfed him, and walked away before the scent could reach her.

She was numb to everything, like a switch in her head had been flicked, and suddenly she was experiencing everything as though she was underwater; sounds were muted, her movements slow and her mind screaming for air.

She didn't remember walking back, but apparently she did, because suddenly she was sitting on the makeshift bed in the tent she'd come to recognise as Bellamy's. "You back with me yet?" the leader's familiar voice asked in her ear, and she blinked in surprise, turning her head to the side to peer at Bellamy curiously. "You were out of it for a while," he told her, his expression tight with the lingering pain from the events of earlier in the night.

She said nothing, merely blinking at him uncomprehendingly.

"I was pardoned for my crimes," he told her, forcing his voice to sound lighter than he felt. "I just finished talking to the leader of the Ark. I won't be executed."

She was still numb from shock, but something about what he said wormed it's way past the protective walls she'd unconsciously constructed within herself. "Safe?" she asked him hollowly, not even daring to hope.

"I'm safe," he confirmed with a nod.

She didn't smile, and he wasn't sure why he'd been expecting she would, considering all that she'd just been through. It was still a shock to see no hint of sparkle in her usually warm eyes as she stared back at him, no longer full of life. It hurt, to be brutally honest, and he vowed to bring the childlike wonder and seemingly unending happiness back to her gaze, even if it was the last thing he did.

"Sleep?" he asked her gently, and although she didn't really want to, she had to acknowledge that she was completely and utterly exhausted.

She didn't reply verbally, instead merely shuffling backwards until she hit the makeshift pillow of the bed, curling into a ball and closing her eyes. Bellamy didn't move for a long time, watching the Grounder girl with soft eyes, trying to decide whether it would be too much for him to join her.

Ultimately deciding that, he wanted to and damn the consequences, he toed off his boots and shed his outer layers, crawling up until he lay beside her, listening to the sound of her deep breaths.

Neither moved for a long time, then just as Bellamy was about to drift, she shifted, turning on her other side and wiggling closer to the taller man. Her arms wrapped around his arm and their legs tangled together like they were made to fall that way. He didn't hesitate, gently tearing his arm from her grip only to throw the limb around her, bringing her in and tucking her tightly against his side.

Vala sighed contently, nuzzling into the warmth she felt through his thin cotton shirt. She was small under his hold, but firm and muscular, and as he pressed his face into her hair, he wondered how it could smell so nice without product. But it did, it smelled just like the forest, and he supposed that was what happened when you spent your whole life among the trees.

* * *

 **A/N: Quite a heavy chapter, I know. To those of you anxiously awaiting updates on my other stories, you should know that a lot of my efforts lately have been going into not-yet-published works. But I _am_ working on it, something for _I Know Places_ will be coming soon, speaking of – if you're a Teen Wolf fan, you should go check that one out, I've been told it's not too shabby ;) There will be a new Harry Potter story coming soon too, so keep an eye out for that one. Thanks guys! x**


	13. Held Against You

_I thought of angels_

 _Choking on their halos_

 _Get them drunk on rose water_

 _See how dirty I can get them_

 _Pulling out their fragile teeth_

 _And clip their tiny wings_

 _Anything you say can and_

 _will be held against you_

 _So only say my name_

 _It will be held against you_

Just One Yesterday – Fall Out Boy

* * *

The only sound that could be heard through the clearing was the steady _thwack_ of wooden sticks as they bashed together in a series of complicated but somehow still clumsy movements.

Bellamy was tired, still not used to so much physical activity. Vala giggled when she knocked his crudely made staff to the forest floor, the pointed end of her own weapon pressed gently to his jugular.

The leader of the Sky people puffed, rolling his eyes in affable exasperation. "Two be Vala," she chimed smugly, pulling her staff away and resting it casually over the bridge of her shoulders in a way that had become starkly familiar.

"One be Bellamy," he murmured (though he suspected she let him win that one time) mirroring her broken English as he moved over to the tree stump his makeshift bottle was resting on, taking a deep sip of the now-warm water. "Come on," he prompted, putting down the bottle and leaning over to swipe his staff from the ground. "Best out of five."

Vala wasn't sure what that meant, but the way he was moving into a fighting stance, she assumed he wanted to fight again. She laughed once more, copying to stance but not waiting before she attacked, bringing her staff around in a move that smacked it against his side.

"You know," he began, toeing across the clearing, keeping his eyes locked on the wild woman, reminding himself not to get distracted by her wicked grin or gleaming eyes, "you could at least pretend this isn't so easy for you."

Not knowing what he'd said, but knowing it was playful from the smirk flickering at his lips, she smiled at him, the brilliance of it nearly blinding the Sky boy.

She'd bounced back rather quickly from the loss of her dear friend. It had been a week, and a sadness still clung to her, he could see it when she didn't think anyone was looking, in the way her lips would turn down and her eyes would sparkle in a way that was completely different to their usual playful glimmer. Still, she giggled like usual, dancing around the people in the camp, teaching them things about the ground as always, showing them how to fight and thoroughly kicking ass when asked to spar.

He figured out that she didn't feel she had the space to grieve.

She would spend some afternoons with Jasper and Monty, letting them attempt to teach her better English while they foraged for berries and nuts in the bushes surrounding the camp. Sometimes Clarke would herd her into the drop ship, and she'd sit on the ground and draw out significant places on the maps, or attempt to tell the healer what certain plants could be used as remedies.

At night Bellamy would wander into his tent to find the Grounder girl already curled on the bed, usually with her arms braced under her head, staring up at the ceiling, never falling asleep until the man himself would arrive back. The instant he would lay back on the pathetic excuse for a mattress she'd curl around him like a monkey, locking their legs together and burying her face in his neck, sighing in this contented way that made his insides turn to liquid.

He figured she'd gone so long without human contact that she was making up for it now, but he couldn't bring himself to mind.

A sharp stinging at his ankle brought him back to to the moment, and he looked over at the Grounder, who was watching him with narrowed but intelligent eyes. A light mist clutched at their ankles as they danced around each other, the air crisp in the early morning haze. He jabbed out with his staff, but she brought her own up and blocked the attack with plenty of time to spare.

It only took a few short bangs of their sticks before his was on the ground once more and the tip of hers was pressed into his chest, right over his heart. It was honestly embarrassing how quickly she could best him, even if she _did_ assure him that he was making good progress for how long he'd been attempting this particular kind of sparring. He wasn't used to using a large staff as a weapon, it felt heavy and clumsy in his hands, while Vala seemed to dance with hers, like it was an extension of herself, a part of her body.

"Come on," he huffed, tipping another mouthful of water into his mouth and throwing his staff over his shoulder in a way that mirrored the smiling Grounder girl. He wasn't in the mood to get his ass handed to him for a _fourth_ time. "How about something more my speed?" he suggested, his voice low and rumbling, and had it been anyone else, they may have picked up on how suggestive it sounded, but it was Vala, and she merely cocked her head curiously, blinking up at him with those wide, innocent eyes of hers.

He held up his fists, a smirk quirking at the edges of his lips, and she got the idea, gently putting down her staff and quickly stretching out her arms before taking a step closer, her own hands held up, prepared for a fight.

He waited for her to make the first move, but as the seconds ticked by, he realised she was pulling her usual strategy, staying still and waiting for him to attack first. The knowledge made him smile, and he dove forwards to strike.

She was lean and small, and quick as anything, so she had that going for her. But he was bigger, and stronger, and he could take a hit even better than her, meaning it was really anyone's game.

She spent most of it slipping out of his way, ducking under his hits and twirling around him in a playful sort of dance that really felt more like banter than a fight. They moved around each other, landing light, playful taps to one another, inflicting no damage as they danced. Soon a light sheen of sweat covered their bodies, and they puffed for breath though showed no signs of slowing down; not until he aimed a hit at her middle, keeping the force light, but she took it with nothing but a sharp inhale, bringing her leg up at the same time and slamming her knee into his gut.

The air left him in a rush, and acting on instinct he grasped her by the wrist, spinning her around so she faced away from him, then trapping his arms around her like a cage, bringing her close to his body.

Finally the sparring was over, and they took a moment to reagin their breath, panting like they'd run a marathon. Bellamy's arms remained locked around Vala like a vice, his skin warm and damp, and without thinking she pressed her hands down on the firm, taut skin of his forearms, feeling the muscles ripple under her touch.

Her body was small under his, but muscular and firm. The skin of his arms pressed against the sliver of exposed skin at her middle, where her shirt had ridden up from their crouched position. Bellamy's breath didn't seem to even out, if anything it got caught in his throat, but he didn't want to cough and break the thickening tension that had crept through the clearing undetected.

He couldn't help but breathe in the woman's scent, taking in the smell of damp, fresh earth, like her body emitted the scent of the very forest they were stood in. There was an undertone of salty sweat, and a fainter, lighter sort of floral smell coming from her hair, which he understood must have been either from something in it, or just her natural aroma.

It was intoxicating, and he needed to get some space between them before he did something stupid.

"We should get back," he muttered, his voice sounding wrecked even to his own ears.

Vala was reluctant to move, enjoying the feeling of being pressed so close against him. He was warm and steady, like an anchor weighing her to the earth. She took one moment to turn her head up, just wanting to press her cheek to the skin of his exposed clavicle. She nuzzled the space, soaking up his warmth and breathing in his unique scent of sweat, berries and gunpowder, before finally forcing herself to break away.

Without his warm arms around her, she felt cold and lonely, and she reached out for Luk, only to remember he wasn't there, and he never would be again. The pain was sharp, but Bellamy was speaking, distracting her before she could let it consume her.

"Big day today," he said conversationally, ducking down to pick up her staff, weighing it thoughtfully in his hand before handing it back to her. She took it with a grateful smile.

"Big...day?" she echoed, reaching for the bottle when offered and taking a generous sip before handing it back.

"It's Unity Day," he told her, knowing even as he spoke that the words would mean nothing to her. She cocked her head in that familiarly curious way and he felt a surge of fondness at the action. "It's kind of like a holiday for the Ark – the Sky people," he corrected when he noticed her furrowed brow. "Kind of like Christmas." He hadn't been expecting that to gain a reaction, but when her face lit up his own eyebrows lifted in surprise. "You know Christmas?"

"When be Luk I, play snow, eat big, sleep well," she revealed, thinking of the memories fondly, trying not to let the grief she now felt sour them.

It didn't sound like a very good Christmas to him, but he figured it was the best she could do under the circumstances. "This Christmas we'll have a big party," he vowed, eyes and tone sincere, not acutally considering the logistics of what he was promising. "It'll be the best Christmas you've ever had."

She was quiet for a moment, staring at the ground before her as they walked, heading back for the camp. He wondered what she could possibly be thinking, eyes sweeping over her subtly, taking in her furrowed brow and considering eyes. "Yu-ni-ti day?" she finally echoed, deciding to shelve plans for Christmas until a later time.

"Unity Day," he nodded. "It's the anniversary of the day the twelve space stations came together to form the Ark."

Everything he said went completely and entirely over her head, but she nodded along anyway, really just enjoying the sound of his voice. It was rough but somehow lilting at the same time, reminding her of the feeling of damp bark under her fingertips, coarse but soft in the same instant.

"It's going to be a good day," he continued obliviously as he stepped over a fallen log. "We're going to have a party. Monty's even making moonshine."

"Moon – shine?" she echoed with a bemused blink, glancing up at the blue sky, making the connection between the words but not really understanding them, and he smirked, the expression wicked and exciting.

"You'll see," he murmured back mysteriously, and Vala didn't reply other than to click her tongue and continue leading the way back to the metal cave.

The 100 greeted them with jolly exuberance, holding up cups full of strong liquid and cheering before settling back into their party. Jasper noticed the pair wandering further into camp, and rushed over to them, a wide, excited grin on his pale lips. Vala considered him as he approached, glad he'd bounced back so quickly after his attack.

"Vala!" he greeted her, unthinkingly ignoring the leader standing beside her. "You've gotta try Monty's moonshine!"

He produced a cup from thin air – a utensil made from bent pieces of metal from the cave – shoving it into her hands before holding up the barrel full of liquid and pouring it messily into the makeshift mug, some of it spilling over onto her fingers. It stung painfully as it passed over a wound on her thumb, so she knew it was strong.

The Grounder hesitated only long enough to sniff the concoction before shrugging and throwing it back with all the ease of a seasoned alcoholic. Jasper was grinning madly, delighted by her clear experience, while Bellamy stared at her with raised eyebrows, awaiting more of a reaction.

Vala pursed her lips, processing the burning taste and comparing it to other brews she'd had in the past.

"Skaikru be make weak liquid fire," she finally said with another click of her tongue. Jasper laughed, not offended in the slightest.

"You should make us some of the Grounder stuff!" he suggested enthusiastically.

Vala thought she knew what he was asking, but she didn't have the slightest clue of the recipe to the concoctions she usually drank in the villages that took her in, so she merely smiled back, lifting her shoulders in a vague shrug.

A group from the other side of camp called out for Jasper, and the excitable boy turned eagerly. "My customers await," he told them, grinning widely one final time before scurrying away from the pair to refill more cups.

The leader turned to Vala, a hint of a smirk flickering at his lips. "Enjoy yourself," he told her over the noise the group was making. "I've got some things to take care of."

"Bellamy no party?" she asked, a disappointed frown pulling her lips downwards. She didn't want him to leave, she wanted him to stay beside her so she could watch him smile, and explain everything the people around them were saying, since they had already begun to slur their words, making it more difficult than usual to understand.

"I'll see you later," was all he said in reply, shooting her a reassuring smile before disappearing into the throng of young, intoxicated survivors.

Vala instantly felt lost. She hadn't really considered how she only really seemed to have built a relationship with Bellamy – of all people. Now, as she stood alone in the centre of camp, a hesitant expression on her dirt and kohl smudged features, she realised she should have probably put more effort into getting to know other people as well, people _besides_ the leader, the wonder-twins, and the blonde healer.

The others still looked at her with caution, only somewhat appeased by Bellamy's acceptance of her.

She sipped her drink, enjoying the taste she hadn't experienced in a long while. She kept to herself, standing in the middle of camp, rocking onto the balls of her feet as she observed the rowdy group of teenagers.

"Hey."

She glanced to her right, raising pleasantly surprised eyebrows at the newcomer. It was a tan boy with cropped hair and a small, hesitant smile on his face, a cup much like her own in his grip.

She'd met him before, he was one of the boys close to Bellamy, but she couldn't have remembered his name to save her life. "I'm Miller," he introduced himself after a beat, seeming to realise the Grounder didn't know his name, though he took no offence to it. "Having a good time?"

"No know Skaikru well," she admitted, gesturing to the rowdy group of teens, each placed in small clusters around camp, the sound of their laughter filling the air. It was nice, seeing them all act so free and happy. She just wished she didn't have this sinking feeling deep within her gut that told her it wasn't going to last. All good things came to an end, after all, and the ground was too cruel to take it easy on them.

"Skaikru," he murmured thoughtfully. "That's what you call us, right?" Vala nodded. "What's with the war paint?" he asked, pointing vaguely to his own face, mimicking the sweeps of smudged black kohl that rimmed her eyes and trailed down her cheeks.

"Be Grounder," she answered with a shrug. "Be _warrior_."

"So it's like your custom to wear it like that?" he asked, though he spoke quickly, so she wasn't too sure what he was saying. "As a warrior?"

"Be warrior," she repeated, giving a short nod before tilting her head, considering the new boy closely, making him shift his weight at the scrutiny.

"Come on," he said, changing the subject, hoping to get her to look away with those large, contemplative eyes of hers. "I'll introduce you 'round." He smiled at her kindly, the concoction in his cup seeming to loosen his muscles, and, not knowing what else to do, she beamed back before allowing him to lead her through the camp.

Some people sneered at her as she passed, others smiled hesitantly, offering her a polite greeting before turning back to their conversations.

"This is Katra," Miller told her, gesturing to a younger girl with a small smile. "And Josep," a larger teen with short hair and bright blue eyes.

"Vala!" Josep exclaimed like they'd been friends for years, the liquid fire clearly getting to his head. "Nice to finally meet the great Grounder!"

Vala cocked her head confusedly, taking in his words with a critical frown.

Josep wasn't put off by the cool reaction. "You ever play pong?" he asked eagerly, holding up a small metal coin. Intrigued, Vala reached out, snatching the shiny piece from his grasp and holding it up to the light, watching as the sun's rays sparkled off of it's surface. "You throw it," the easy-going boy told her, pointing to the lined up cups. "You need to try and get it into one of them. If you miss, you take a drink."

She appreciated that he didn't speak to her like she was an infant, but that didn't change the fact that she had no idea what he was trying to explain to her. She blinked up at him blankly, and he chuckled, irritatingly amused by her confusion.

She decided to let it go this time, not wanting to cause a scene on a day that was clearly so special to the Sky People.

"Here," he continued once his moment of mirth was over. "I'll show you."

He plucked the coin from her slender fingers, holding it up and jerking his arm with exaggerated movements before finally tossing the coin at a cup. It hit the edge, a pinging sound emanating from the objects.

"Oh well," Josep shrugged, a goofy grin on his features as he swiped a different cup from the table, tipping his head back and chugging down it's contents.

His actions made the silly game somewhat clearer to the Grounder, and she reached over to grab the coin, holding it up for a moment before tilting her head and aiming for one of the many empty cups.

"It's not so easy to get on the first try, you may need to practise-"

Josep's words were cut short as the coin sailed through the air, travelling across the small table and finally plopping directly into the cup, the sound echoing around the suddenly quiet group.

"Be silly game," Vala said decisively, nodding her head before leaning her weight against the table. "Be of ease."

"What?" the boy asked confusedly, unable to decipher her words through her accent and lack of grasp on the language.

"Game," she repeated with a small crease appearing between her brows. "Be of ease."

"Okay," he mumbled with an eye roll, and she wondered whether this boy was considered an idiot among his people. He would certainly be considered one amongst the clans. She reached down to run her fingers through Luk's fur, only for her hand to meet empty air. Pain like she hadn't felt in years struck her chest, like somebody had carved into her with a blunt knife – she knew this was an accurate description, as it had happened to her before.

The pain was terrible, and she didn't have it in her to pretend nothing was wrong, so she nodded politely to those paying attention, turning around and blending into the crowd of excited, inebriated children.

The presence of Luk now felt like something of a missing limb, or the phantom ache of a wound never cut into her flesh. But she was stronger than this, better than letting grief overcome her. People had died on her before. Friends, comrades, family. It was nothing new. Luk was old, and what she said at the time of his passing was true, he was at peace.

Still, she suddenly felt lonely despite the large throng of people surrounding her. On some kind of strange new instinct, her eyes scanned the crowd for Bellamy, sighing disappointedly when she couldn't spot him.

"Vala?" a soft voice asked, and she whirled around, hand darting to rest on the hilt of her knife, prepared to use it at a moment's notice. It was the boy with the hair, Finn. He was wearing a look of strange consternation, brow furrowed as he watched her, hands held out placatingly, reminding her he wasn't a threat.

Vala said nothing, but she did relax, cocking her head at the boy, waiting for him to speak.

"Are you enjoying the celebrations?" he asked in a conversational tone.

She grunted vaguely, not completely sure what he was asking her.

"Grounder girl!" an unfamiliar voice called, and she quickly spun around, recognising the title as the one she'd been dubbed by this group of rowdy children. It was a boy, swaying on his feet and his eyes a little hazy, but grinning widely all the same. "Come on," he said like they had prearranged plans, waving her towards the group he was standing by. She cast a shrug back to Finn, who was frowning disappointedly, as though there had actually been something he'd wanted to discuss.

Curious, bemused, and above all, bored, Vala wandered over towards them, making the small gathering cheer delightedly.

"Jacob reckons he could last five minutes in the ring with you," a girl standing by him said when she reached them, cheeks flushed from the liquid fire. "It's the moonshine talking, but we wanna see it anyway," she added with a bright beam.

Vala wasn't entirely sure what they wanted from her, the slurred words making it difficult to translate. She hoped her scrunched expression communicated her confusion, and the girl laughed, pointing sharply at a larger boy by the back of the group, who was grinning in a way that reminded her of a shark, and cracking his knuckles loudly.

She thought she understood now, and with a casual lift of her shoulders, she agreed, putting down her staff and knives, making it a fair fight. If there was one thing that could distract her now, it was a fight.

That was how Bellamy found her.

It probably wasn't particularly difficult, considering she was in the centre of a large group of intoxicated teenagers, most of whom shouting loud encouragements into the middle of their circle, where she was struggling to take down a boy twice her size. It would have been easy, had she not been so exhausted.

"Break it up!" his voice called over the cheers and jeers of the spectators. People booed him, but he paid no attention, pushing his way through the crowd until he came to a stop beside the makeshift ring, where Vala had just brought her opponent to his knees, her arm locked tightly around his throat. The guy was wheezing, clawing at her arms, but she waited for him to tap out – those were the rules, weren't they? "Vala!" he called, and she looked up sharply, not having realised he was there. He jerked his chin, and as though commanded she dropped her hold, the poor bloke collapsing to the ground as he gulped for breath.

Vala strode towards Bellamy, quirking her lips up as she came to a stop beside him.

He gave the crowd a cursory glance, then quickly threw an arm around the Grounder's shoulders and began to gently herd her out of the group, over towards the tree line at the edge of camp. Confused but not at all unwilling, she let him move her, other arm coming up to rest around his waist, only stopping when they were out of sight and earshot of the rest of the delinquents.

"Finn set up a meeting with the Grounders," Bellamy told her without preamble, dropping his arm and moving so he stood in front of her. Vala blinked up at him, slowly translating then processing what he was saying. Finally, once she was sure she understood, her eyes widened. "Clarke's going with him to meet them, we're following as backup."

"No," she said quickly, already shaking her head.

"We don't have a choice, Vala," he told her roughly, looking just as displeased with the situation as she was. "At least this way, we can protect them."

Swallowing around the thickness in her throat, and frowned. "Where?" she asked, rather than argue.

"Neutral territory," he answered with a lift of his shoulders. She didn't understand, but she was too exhausted to ask him to explain. He assessed her more carefully, taking in the bags under her eyes and her pale skin, the way her gaze glinted with exhaustion. "Maybe you should stay here," he murmured.

Indignation surged within her, and he could practically see the fire reignite in her eyes.

"I get it, you're coming no matter what I say," he murmured with exasperation, but there was an unmistakeable hint of fondness to his words that even he couldn't deny. "You sure you'll be okay?" he checked.

Unable to be bothered with translating the words to reply, she slid her favourite knife from her pocket, holding it up to the moonlight and spinning it expertly around her fingers. Bellamy rolled his eyes, before the expression dropped into one of more seriousness.

"If the Grounders see you...?" he trailed off in an unspoken question.

"Kill," she nodded back sombrely, tapping a finger against her chest in case there was any confusion over who she meant.

Bellamy swallowed, and she followed the dip of his adams apple with her eyes before meeting his gaze once more.

"Vala strong," she assured him in a voice so soft it definitely didn't match her determined words.

"I know," he promised her quietly, the certainty in his voice overwhelming. He looked up, through the break in the trees to the edge of camp, where he could just make out Clarke and Finn leaving through the gates. "We've gotta go," he said, and she gave a sure nod, turning and striding away, collecting her weapons and swinging back around to meet him at the gate.

He had the new girl from the sky, Raven, with him, along with Jasper, all of them holding guns in their hands, determined looks on their dirty faces. She reached up to run her fingers over the smudges of kohl around her eyes, a remnant of her past she hadn't been able to let go of, not even after all these years.

"Good to go?" the leader checked with all of them, and waited to receive nods before turning and marching from the camp.

The forest was silent, and Vala loved it, soaking in the quiet atmosphere and damp earth beneath her feet. Raven watched uncertainly as she danced ahead of them, leading the way while she twirled as she walked, leaping off of large rocks and grasping onto lower hanging branches to swing herself across puddles.

"What is she, part monkey?" the brunette murmured sardonically, eyeing her with irritation and distrust as they moved through the still trees.

"Don't let Bellamy hear you say that," Jasper snorted softly by her side, and she turned to scowl at him before darting her eyes back to their leader, who was walking only a few feet back from the Grounder, his gaze moving between her and their path.

"What's the deal, anyway?" she asked, raising her voice loud enough to gain Bellamy's attention, despite Jasper's warning.

Vala spared a glance over her shoulder, but otherwise let them talk amongst themselves, continuing to make her way smoothly through the underbrush. "The deal with what?" Bellamy replied in a tone of obvious impatience.

"Grounder girl," she said with disdain. "She shows up, all big eyes and bare stomach, and suddenly she's trustworthy?"

"What are you saying?" he snapped, though to his credit, his stride didn't so much as falter.

"I'm saying that I think it's stupid to trust her," she bit back.

"In case you've forgotten, Reyes, I've known her longer than I've known you," he replied sharply, keeping his eyes on Vala, who didn't seem to be paying them a lick of attention, moving through the forest with ease, surprisingly carefree, considering their destination.

"It isn't the same," she said thinly. Bellamy opened his mouth to respond, and from the dangerous glint to his eyes, they knew the result wasn't going to be pretty.

"She saved Bellamy's life, you know?" Jasper interjected before things could get heated. Raven raised her eyebrows, casting another look over at the flittering through the trees. "Massive lion thing came outta nowhere, back when we first got here," he began to regale her with the account of Vala's heroics. "I was unconscious at the time, but from what I hear, Bellamy would have been ripped to shreds if it wasn't for Grounder girl and her crazy knife skills."

Bellamy didn't say anything, staring forwards with a scowl on his face, but Raven eyed him, considering. "And that's enough of a reason to trust her like you do?" she asked, skeptical.

There was more to it than that, Bellamy knew; so did everyone at camp, everyone who saw the exchanged stares between the savage looking Grounder and the rough-around-the-edges former Guard. It was true, she _did_ sleep in his bed, and he _was_ initially drawn in by her 'big eyes and bare stomach', but it went beyond that, a deeper connection that he wouldn't know how to describe if he spoke every language known to man.

"She's trustworthy," Bellamy snapped, forcing a sharp end to the conversation. Raven scowled at his back, and Jasper coughed to hide a growing smirk, but Bellamy let his eyes wander over to Vala, who seemed without a care in the world, walking with sure strides, using branches to propel her further every now and again.

Yes, she was trustworthy.

Finally, once the silence grew too much for Jasper to bare, he spoke up. "Sorry for bringing up Clarke earlier, that was awkward," he murmured lamely.

"Shut up," Raven replied dryly.

"Both of you shut up," Bellamy said gruffly.

"Both of you _shut up_ ," Vala echoed, testing the words out on her tongue. She wasn't sure what they meant, but she liked the way they made the others look indignant.

"Yeah, I see what you mean," Raven drawled, sarcastic and unimpressed. "She's a real _asset._ "

Bellamy's jaw clicked. "Keep your eyes open," he hissed, sending them back into silence.

Vala knew where they were heading, the bridge by the river. It was just on the outside of the Trikru boundary, a sort of no-man's land. It wasn't frequently used, but it was the only passage from Trikru's side of the river to the theirs.

When she knew they were only a few feet away she held up a hand, and Bellamy came to a dead stop, gun raised in preparation. "Hush," she warned them in a whisper, and Bellamy nodded, the others doing the same a moment later.

The bridge was empty on one end, with Clarke, Finn and Octavia on the other. Everything was tense for one long, long minute, then a lone figure burst from the trees. It was the Grounder from the metal cave, the one who had been held prisoner by Bellamy. She'd known he'd escaped while they were out of camp. She'd been secretly pleased about this fact, if only concerned that he might tell the Heda about the Sky people's location.

Something in her gut told her not to worry, however, and it was an instinct that kept her calm at night.

"What's Octavia doing here?" Jasper murmured, reaching for his gun at the sight of the Grounder, only to break off in a near-silent gasp when Bellamy's sister catapulted herself right into the warrior's arms. He held her close, like she was fragile and delicate and meant everything in the world to him, and Vala watched them with a tight throat. "Oh," the boy mumbled from behind her, forlorn.

"I guess we know how he got away," Raven said with a hint of smugness to her voice that irritated Vala, although the actual words went over her head.

Bellamy seemed to be breathing heavier from where he was standing, and Vala watched as he lifted his gun, aiming it at the Grounder on the bridge. Immediately her hand came up, bracing it on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off without second thought, and the action stung her like a knife to the chest, surprising her with the force of it.

"Wait," Raven hissed, and it was in that moment she realised that the representatives of the clan were approaching. She could hear the horses' hooves on the ground, the neighs of the beasts being ridden.

Her heart leapt into her throat, and her fingers began to shake. Her people were right there, so close she could touch them, and yet she'd never felt more distant from them. She ached with the need to connect with them, but reminded herself with a flare of agony that she would likely be killed on sight.

"What's happening?" Bellamy asked under his breath, not turning to look at her, but keeping his eyes on the three Grounders sitting atop their steeds. "Who is that?"

The woman climbing off her beast was striking, with thick hair and harsh eyes. The sight of her made Vala's throat feel tight. " _Anya_ ," she murmured breathlessly.

Bellamy didn't take his eyes off his sister, but he stiffened at the way she spoke the name. Vala watched as Clarke and Finn stepped forwards, only for the Octavia's Grounder to stop him, and then Clarke to continue on alone.

She couldn't let Clarke face Anya, she just couldn't. Clarke didn't understand their ways, she didn't understand how this worked. One sign of a threat, and Anya would run her through with her blade like she were made of butter in the sun.

Her heart was beating in her head, she could hear her blood pumping in her ears. She cast a look at the back of Bellamy's head, wishing she could look into his eyes just one more time, and her own stung with tears even as she turned and silently slipped away from the trio of Sky people, all of whom were too focused on the meeting happening on the bridge that they didn't even noticed her leave them.

Though she was fairly certain that she was going to be sick, Vala held her head high and walked around to the mouth of their side of the bridge, taking a moment out of sight to gather herself. She forced air into her lungs, trying to even out her breaths and will colour back into her cheeks, wipe the terror from her eyes.

It was hard to bury the emotions deep inside, but she had no choice. She needed to save the Sky people. She need to save Bellamy; and Clarke, and Jasper and Octavia and Finn. The last thing she wanted was a war, and if this was the price to keep peace on Earth, then it was one she had no choice but to pay.

Stepping out onto that bridge felt a whole lot like stepping out into the path of a Reaper. Nobody seemed to notice her at first, which bought her a few more seconds to get control of herself, before she began to stalk forwards, chin held up high in the air, muscles coiled in a way that came from years and years of fighting to stay alive.

She knew the moment Anya spotted her. Although the expression on her face didn't so much as flicker, she did tense, chin tilted up and she focused her attention on the banished Grounder heading her way.

Octavia's Grounder stepped in front of her, but then Anya called out a sharp, "let her pass!" and then she was walking towards them, Clarke spinning to gape at her like she'd gone certifiably insane. She wondered vaguely, as she walked, what Bellamy might have been thinking in that moment, seeing her walk towards certain death with her head held high.

"Clarke," Vala murmured in greeting before turning to Anya, who stared back cooly. "Anya," she said, bowing her head but not her knees, because she bowed down to _no one._

"Vala-" Clarke tried to say, but Anya cut her off.

" _Why am I not surprised to find you at the route of all this, deserter_?" she drawled in flawless Trigedasleng, and it was a relief to be able to understand somebody without taking minutes to try and translate. That relief wasn't enough to ease the bubbling terror in her gut.

" _I deserted nobody_ ," Vala responded as strongly as she could. " _The Sky people want nothing but peace. Any act of war you perceived is a mistake. They are innocent_."

" _Tell that to the souls of the dead_ ," Anya spat, and Vala flinched back at the force. " _Blood must have blood_ ," she added darkly.

Vala didn't know what to say, negotiating had never been something she'd been taught to do – she was only ever trained to kill.

" _You sister will be interested to know you're here...and alive,_ " Anya began with a smug kind of glint to her eye that made Vala feel a roll of nausea. " _You speak on behalf of the Skaikru_?"

" _No_ ," she answered tightly. " _I'm here to beg for you to consider a treaty_." Anya gave a cruel, bitter sort of sneer, and Clarke looked downright terrified. Vala's eyes darted up to the warrior's camouflaged in the trees, arrows cocked and ready to fly, and she swallowed down her panic. Subtly, she tried to nudge Clarke in the opposite direction, silently begging her to get to safety, to run, to do _something_ other than stand out in the open like she had some kind of death wish. " _I'll speak with the Commander myself_ ," she swore, aggravated when Clarke didn't move so much as a muscle.

" _You shouldn't have come, Vala_ ," Anya said darkly, and her heart leapt into her throat once more. She saw the Chief's fingers twitch subtly, then one of the hidden warrior's pulled back on their drawstring, and without a second thought Vala slipped in front of Clarke, pushing her back.

It all happened so quickly, just when she thought it was all about to end, there was a scream from the bank below, and the sound of gunfire echoed through the clearing.

Clarke gave a startled shout, and now acting on pure instinct, Vala prepared to do the one thing she knew she was good at.

In the blink of an eye her knife was held in a steady hand, Anya with hers, and they began to approach, vicious snarls mirrored on their faces.

Would she survive this? Could she really beat Anya in a fight? Was she strong enough?

None of these questions were answered, as a beat later she was coated in the spray of blood, and Anya was rearing back, shoulder blown to pieces. She snarled in Vala's direction once more before rushing back to the horses as the arrows began to rain down on them like deadly snow.

"Get back!" she heard a voice scream from behind them, and it was all she could do to turn away, all but tripping in her haste to get out of there. She grasped a fallen Clarke by the arms, hauling her to her feet, but then Finn was there, holding her up, and the Grounder was shouting something to her in English about Octavia, which was pointless because of course that was already her first instinct.

Octavia struggled, probably because the Grounder had been hit by one of the arrows, but they didn't have the time to sit around and cry about it. She all but threw the girl in the direction of the tree line, shoving her forwards and forcing her to run.

It was a complete miracle that none of them got hit, but Vala couldn't spare a minute to thank the stars, she could only push those around her to go as hard and as fast as they could, getting them to safety behind their wall and their metal cave, the one place they actually stood a chance.

She could barely check that Bellamy, Raven and Jasper were following, sticking close to Octavia's side and pushing her along, roughly helping her over fallen logs and across mud puddles.

Nobody spoke, too intent on running towards the camp, and Vala had to slow down every now and again when people began to lose momentum. They didn't have time to spare for rest breaks, they just kept running, despite the stabbing pains in their sides and their lungs screaming for air.

Finally, _blessedly_ , the camp came into sight, and they came to a scattered stop, Vala eventually deciding it was safe to drop Octavia's arm. The girl ripped it from her grip, refusing to look at anyone, but Vala didn't care about the brush off, just trying to calm her racing pulse.

"You got something to say?" it was Bellamy who spoke first, and she turned to peer at him, only to see him glowering at a furious looking Finn, who was still red from the run.

"Yeah," he exclaimed, infuriated. "I _told_ you no guns!"

"I told _you_ we couldn't trust the Grounders, and I was _right_!" Clarke responded in kind.

"Why didn't you just tell me what you were up to?!" Raven demanded desperately.

"I tried, but you were too busy making bullets for your guns!" he shouted.

"You're lucky we brought that! They came there to kill you, Finn!" Bellamy interjected in a growl.

"You don't _know_ that! Jasper fired the first shot!"

"You ruined everything," Octavia said to Jasper, looking at him with contempt.

"I _saved_ you!" he shouted before storming off too, equally as furious.

"Well, if we weren't at war already, we sure as _hell_ are now," Finn sneered. "You didn't have to trust the Grounders," he said to Clarke, calmer. "You just had to trust me."

He and Raven stormed off, leaving Clarke, Bellamy and Vala the only ones still standing at the entrance to the camp. Bellamy muttered something to Clarke, and she gave a huffing sort of laugh before realising their Grounder ally was still standing there, looking vaguely shellshocked but mostly confused, not having understood any of the fight that had just happened before her.

Bellamy slid his gaze over to her too, and it hardened, making Clarke realise she needed to get the hell out of dodge if she didn't want to be caught in the middle of whatever was about to happen. "I'll just...give you guys a minute," she muttered lamely, but neither paid any attention, their eyes locked onto one another.

She moved back into the camp, leaving Vala and Bellamy in the dark, no light but that of the flickering torches placed by the entrance. The silence was absolutely deafening, their ears still ringing after all the gunfire, and again, it was Bellamy who broke the tension.

"What the _hell_ was that?!" he demanded, fuming. His eyes were hard, angrier than she'd ever seen him, and she felt her breath catch at the thought of him being mad at her.

"Keep Clarke safe," she explained, her voice much softer, "keep Octavia safe." The hard look in his lovely eyes didn't waver for a moment. "Keep _Bellamy_ safe," she finished, voice breaking over his name. Her fingertips were beginning to shake, the weight of exactly what she'd just done now sitting heavily on her chest, suffocating her.

"It was _stupid_ and _reckless_ , Vala," he snarled incandescently. "How _dare_ you-" he cut himself off, allowing his gun to drop to the ground so his hands were free to run through his hair. "Do you have _any_ idea-" he broke off again with a furious hiss, expression drawn and pinched, eyes filled with an emotion she couldn't possibly name.

She didn't know how to apologise, not in their language.

" _Moba_ , _Belomi,_ " she said with absolutely sincerity, moving her eyes to the forest floor. She didn't look like a furious, dangerous warrior anymore. Now she just looked sad, and remorseful, and the way she said his name in that accent absolutely _wrecked_ him.

"Don't," he began, mouth struggling to form the words. His chest heaved with his breaths, like she was stealing each one from his lungs. "Don't do that again," he said, attempting to make it sound like an order, but it really just came out as a broken plead.

She looked up at him again, eyes big and wet and sparkling like stars in the firelight and suddenly he couldn't stand to not be touching her. He stepped closer, carefully, like she were an easily startled fawn. She didn't flinch away, and he slowly raised his hands to her face, where he cupped her jaw in his palms, gently brushing his thumb over the small splattering of scars on her chin.

She blinked, the large scar over her eye crinkling with the movement, and the thick kohl warpaint covering her face had lines in it, like she'd been crying on the way back, making him ache from the inside out.

Vala leaned into his warm hands, inhaling again and letting his wonderful scent calm her, like the smell of rain might on a particularly bad day. She reached up with her own hands, her calloused fingers curling around his wrists, and she closed her eyes, clutching onto him and letting him ground her to the moment.

Something touched her forehead and she slowly opened her eyes again to realise it was him, his own forehead pressed flat against hers, their noses brushing and their breaths mingling.

The look in his eyes was desperate, like he wanted something so badly he didn't know what to do, and she stared back, trying to memorise the way he was staring at her, holding her breath, and only seeming to inhale when he finally looked away. His gaze travelled down her face to rest at her lips, and again his thumb swept over her face, creeping up to trace over her full bottom lip.

His touch was like fire, making her skin tingle, and she opened her mouth to speak, " _Bell_ -"

And then he was kissing her, and everything just went silent and all she knew was the feeling of him pressing into her, hands cupped reassuringly at her jaw, cradling her like the Grounder had with Octavia; as though she were something delicate and fragile, when she knew she was anything but.

The slide of his lips against hers was intoxicating, and his hands moved from her jaw to her head, winding his fingers into her thick hair, pulling her tighter like he couldn't breathe without her with him.

Her own hands wandered away from his wrists, trailing along his arms then tracing down the covered planes of his chest and stomach before coming to a rest at his hips, balling the material of his shirt into her fists and using it to pull him closer – because maybe she couldn't breathe without him with her, too.

He had to duck to kiss her, and acting more on instinct than anything, she pushed herself up onto her toes. The change in angle made her head spin, and he gave a groan when she bit into the flesh of his bottom lip, sucking on it soothingly. Then she was being pushed back, and the next thing she knew her staff was digging into the space between her shoulders and her head was pressed against the rough bark of a tree, but she couldn't have cared less, sinking into Bellamy like he was a hot spring on a cool winter's day.

His hands moved too, one staying by her head while the other flittered down to her waist, where a band of skin remained on display, the same one he found himself eyeing so often. It was like a weight off his chest to press his hand against the small of her back, skin touching skin, and her nails dug into his hips through his shirt.

She kissed like how she fought, he found; all instinct and feeling and passion. He'd expected something shy, maybe meek and innocent. However there was _nothing_ innocent about the way she pushed herself up to get closer, their teeth clicking together as her lips slid against his, nibbling on his lower lip again, and the groan _he_ gave was anything but innocent.

He was wrapped up in her, and he never wanted to leave. She was warm and small and grasping at him with such desperation, then-

"Bellamy!"

He broke away with a strangled sort of grunt, blinking open his eyes and staring down at her to find her chasing his lips impatiently, not wanting the contact to end, and he smiled, taking in her swollen lips and desperate, hazy expression.

"Bellamy!" the voice yelled again, and he summoned every ounce of willpower he had to pull away from Vala, spinning reluctantly to face Clarke, who was rushing towards them but thankfully paying them no mind, her stare focused on the sky.

Following her gaze, he watched with trepidation as another drop ship hurtled towards the ground; dropping, dropping, until finally it collided with the side of a mountain, exploding with a massive boom and a spectacular fire, and suddenly everything was back in perspective – because they had a _job_ to do.

* * *

 **A/N: Been away awhile, I know. Let's just say my passion for The 100 has been well and truly renewed. Please, please send me reviews or messages and tell me what you want to see – I'm thinking of going AU after season 2, continuing on my own path. Is that something you guys want? And where are we on the M rating-situation? How M are we talking? Do you guys want the good stuff, or something a little more...tame? I dunno, I'm clueless as of yet – and you're on this journey right along with me!**

 **Hope to hear from you – thanks for reading! xx**


	14. I'll Come Alive

_Walking around  
With my little raincloud  
Hanging over my head  
And it ain't coming down  
Where do I go?  
Gimme some sort of sign  
Hit me with lightning!  
Maybe I'll come alive_

Hard Times – Paramore

* * *

Everyone stood in shock, the camp, for once, in complete silence.

It took a long few moments for any sound to break out, and finally people began to whisper, some crying out in horror, knowing their parents were aboard the fallen ship, some simply in a state of shock by what they'd just witnessed. Some didn't seem to care at all.

Clarke, once she'd taken a moment to panic – dropping to her knees and sucking in air until Monty gently picked her up off the ground and she got ahold of herself – quickly turned to Vala, who was blinking up at the sky, dazed from her spontaneous embrace with Bellamy and bewildered by the explosion of the sky ship.

"Take me there," Clarke snapped at the Grounder, who at first didn't realise she was being spoken to. She continued to blink, struggling to process all that had happened within such a small window of time. "Vala!" she barked, surging forwards to grasp the smaller girl by the shoulders, giving her a single, rough shake.

"Hey!" Bellamy barked, gently but firmly brushing the blonde girl off the startled Grounder.

Clarke barely seemed to notice. "Take me there!" she shouted at Vala, whose attention was now focused on the distressed healer whom she'd come to genuinely respect. "Take me to the site of the explosion, Vala. _Now_!"

Vala didn't seem to know how to respond, blinking at Clarke blankly, crease appearing between her brows. People were getting louder now, the buzz within the camp growing to a normal level. "Far," she finally said, speaking slowly and carefully, "be sun."

"What?" Clarke demanded, looking starkly irritated. "What does that even _mean,_ Vala?!" she growled, frustrated.1

"She's saying that it's a long walk and we're all very tired," Bellamy translated almost lazily, but there was a slight glint of sympathy in his eyes when he looked at Clarke that betrayed his true emotions. "We'll wait until sunrise, then go from there."

"You got all that from 'far be sun'?" Clarke spat cynically, lashing out from the pain of losing her mother.

Bellamy didn't rise to the bait, staring back at her calmly. "We'll get something to eat, have a couple hours rest, then go to the site," he told her, the order clear.

"But if there're survivors-" she tried.

"Clarke," Bellamy said quietly, sympathetically, and she broke off, tears springing into her eyes as she turned away to hide it. "Go rest," he said, and she remained silent as she nodded. "We leave at first light."

She turned and stalked away, heading for the drop ship, head bowed as she weaved through the crowd of delinquents. Vala was no longer paying attention – she was tired. She'd spent the whole morning sparring with Bellamy, then all afternoon sparring with the kids for entertainment, then the whole evening and night going to and from the bridge, not to mention the whole debacle once they were there.

She was more than exhausted, and she longed to stretch out on the makeshift bed in Bellamy's tent. The leader himself was already commanding the others, speaking in low, reassuring tones as they listened carefully to his words. Nobody noticed her slip away, her feet carrying her towards the tent.

She paused in the doorway, eyeing the bed warily. With a flash she was thrown back to the drag of his fingertips across her scalp and the way he'd pressed her up against that tree, tilting her head to get the angle of the kiss _just_ right before moving his lips against hers like she was water and he was a man dying of thirst.

What would the night bring? All she knew for sure was that she wasn't ready to find out.

Being on the run for over twelve years, it had left it's fair share of scars on her – and not just the physical; instincts, habits, ways of dealing with things that other people might not consider healthy. When something bad happened, she _ran_ , that's just what she did. Because it was either stay and fight and maybe die, or run and live to see another day.

She considered leaving. Leaving this camp, it's people and the war they had now started. Maybe she could travel North, spend some time with the Ice Nation. They were great with trade, even if their leader was somewhat of a creepy prick.

Still, the thought of leaving them – it was all too much. She couldn't just abandon them, and without her, they might not even stand a chance. Running would be _easier_ , yes, but it wouldn't be _right._

Besides, she was pretty sure that, at this point, this was the closest to a real home as she was ever going to get. And like _hell_ was she going to stand by and let the Trikru destroy it.

Still, she needed time away, needed to clear her head, so with great effort she let the cloth covering Bellamy's door drop and turned, heading for the wall. Nobody was guarding it, which she thought was incredibly irresponsible, but she figured everyone was too wrapped up in the plans for tomorrow.

She knew the Trikru wouldn't attack for at least another few days. They needed to regroup; reorganise. The were preparing for _war._

She contemplated going to their lake, but he'd find her there, so she did the next best thing. The tree she found was sturdy, and it didn't take long at all to climb, even despite her aching muscles and drooping eyelids. Finally she broke the canopy, settling herself down into the V of the branches, head tipped back to stare at the stars.

She traced over the constellations, both the ones she knew and the ones Bellamy had taught her. She knew she could be thinking about her reintroduction to Anya and the Trikru, but in that moment all she wanted to do was relax, despite knowing the peace and quiet was nothing at all but the calm before the storm.

* * *

She woke at daybreak, took a moment to stretch out her aching muscles, then descended from the treetop, working her way down to the ground. Having her feet flat against the dirt was lovely, and she wiggled her toes into the soil like it were sand at a beach, sighing at the cool feeling against her skin.

The walk back didn't take long either, and she enjoyed breathing in the crisp morning air, trying not to find herself too grief stricken when she automatically reached for a dog that wasn't there.

The camp was alive when she entered, and people gave her cursory glances as she passed, making a beeline for the food stores, where Monty and Jasper were sitting, both chewing on a stick of meat each, murmuring to each other in low voices.

"Hey," Monty greeted her, reaching down for another stick of mystery meat and holding it out to her with a small smile. "Hungry?"

" _Chof_ ," she said gratefully, taking the stick and biting into it. Jasper snickered at the strange word, and Monty gave a helpless shrug that Vala didn't care about, too content to eat something she hadn't had to hunt, cook and prepare by herself.

"Our fearless leader was looking for you," Jasper said, and she looked up from where she was devouring her breakfast. "Dunno where he is now," he added helplessly, taking another bite of meat and washing it down with a swig of water followed by a handful of berries.

"We're leaving in five, anyway," Monty told her. They were speaking very quickly, mouths half full of food, and they were using a lot of words she didn't know. She just hoped she was getting a little bit of it right. "You're still leading us there, right? I ask because last time Bellamy tried to lead us somewhere new without you, Monroe nearly got her leg bitten off by this _massive_ snake-"

"I lead," she agreed, already scanning the camp looking for Bellamy. "You follow."

The pair of kids chuckled, apparently something about her words was amusing, but she was too distracted by her search.

" _Leida_ ," she told them in farewell, ignoring their bewildered expressions as she turned and strode in the direction of Bellamy's tent. She quickly finished off her food, but kept the small stick, twirling it around between her fingers in a kind of nervous tic.

There was no sound coming from within, but she still took a deep breath before ducking into the tent, the cloth doorway brushing her head and back. She let her eyes adjust to the darker space, blinking as she spied Bellamy with his back to her, splashing water onto his face, shirt nowhere in sight.

"Bellamy," she said softly, and he froze where he was, taking a moment to dry his face before turning to look at her, seeing her standing by the door, kind of hunched over, like she was anxious about something.

"Vala," he replied in kind, blinking at her for a long moment. "Where did you go?" he asked, and suddenly that soft glint to his eyes had disappeared, replaced instead by a cold indifference that she didn't understand.

"Go?" she repeated dumbly, not understanding.

"You were gone," he said, and it seemed to be spoken through a clenched jaw.

Helpless, she pointed upwards with the stick, blinking at him innocently. "Tree," she said like it was all the explanation in the world, and to Bellamy, the one person who could make sense of her broken English, it was.

"You slept in a tree?" he asked, unimpressed, and she nodded. "Why?" he pressed, and there was this careful expression on his face, as though he was keeping things back, trying not to say something, or maybe wanting to say something but not knowing how.

Vala frowned, desperately searching for the words to make this right, trying to find something to say that would erase the strange but unmistakable glimmer of hurt in his deep brown eyes. "Day big," she admitted, dropping her eyes to the stick in her hand, idly pressing her fingertips against the sharp end, feeling them scrape against her callouses. "Tired. Scared."

Bellamy was quiet for a long moment. "Scared?" he repeated gently, and she saw his boots come into view, but kept her head ducked. "Vala?"

Unsure how to proceed, she lifted both shoulders in a shrug, feeling the action pull at her sore muscles. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and her fingertips began to tingle, but she couldn't for the life of her work out why her body was reacting that way.

Then Bellamy's fingers caught under her chin, tilting her head back up. She blinked at him, the expression on his face one of contemplation, like she were some kind of riddle he couldn't figure out. Nobody had ever looked at her that way before, never stared at her with rapture, like they were trying to read her life history in the scars on her skin, and they were loving what they were seeing.

It made something in the vicinity of her chest swell up, to the point where she couldn't even breathe, and she was forced to look away, sure she would drown in his eyes.

His chest was right there in front of her, long expanses of olive skin pulled taut across muscles, mottled with freckles that she could have traced like constellations. His shoulders were so broad, arms large and strong, and now that she knew how they felt around her, she wanted _more._

Her breath hitched in her throat, and without thought her hand reached out, fingertips hovering over the flawless stretches of skin. There were no scars, none at all, and she could feel the heat from his body before she even touched him.

"Vala," his voice was throaty, still somewhat thick with sleep, and the sound of it so close to her ear made her shudder.

"Bell..." she breathed, swaying into him like he was her centre of gravity, everything else be damned.

A sharp whistle broke through the fog of haze filling her head, and she blinked back to reality, stepping away from Bellamy, glancing up to see his eyes shining with an intense _want_ that made her skin burn, but then someone was bursting into the tent and he was turning away, promptly tugging a shirt on over his glorious torso.

"Cover up, Fabio," Raven said with a grunt.

Vala blinked in confusion. "Bellamy," she corrected with a wilting stare, jerking a finger in the leader's direction. "Name be Bellamy."

Raven looked like she wasn't sure what to do. "Is she kidding?" she asked Bellamy under her breath.

"Not in the slightest," he answered gruffly, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips that made her feel warm.

"Ugh, you disgust me," Raven muttered, looking between them both with thinly veiled disdain. "Can we leave now? I think Clarke's ready to shoot her way out if we don't get going soon."

"On our way," Bellamy said, and with a clipped nod she turned and slipped back out into the frosty morning. Bellamy seemed to sag once she was gone, leaving he and Vala in the quiet of his tent, left without knowing what to say. "Are you okay?" he finally asked, and she looked up from the floor to see him rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Okay," she nodded. "Bellamy okay?"

"Okay," he confirmed with a mirrored nod. He stepped towards the door, but came to a stop suddenly, turning around and heading for his makeshift bed, pulling out a pair of worn, dirty boots. "I, uh, I got these the other day," he said stiltedly, like he wasn't sure what to say. "Think they're your size," he murmured, pressing them into her hands.

Bewildered, Vala looked down at the shoes in her hands, gently running a finger over the tattered leather. When she did nothing but stare at them, Bellamy huffed and pressed a hand against her shoulder, pushing her down until she was seated on his small bed.

"Here," he said with a roll of his eyes, as though he were doing her some kind of huge favour. He took the boots, picking out the right one then sliding it into place over her bare, dirty feet. She looked up at him, and there was a ghost of a smile on his face.

"Why?" she asked him curiously.

"Why the shoes?" he hummed, tying the laces with deft fingers.

"Why?" she asked again, reaching out to press a finger against the smile sitting comfortably on his lips. She was asking him what was so funny.

He looked up at her, considering. "It's just a story I used to read to O," he revealed with a shrug as he slipped the remaining one onto her other foot. "Cinderella."

"Sin-da-ell-a?"

"Yeah," the smile on his face grew. "The prince found her by trying this pair of shoes on every girl in the kingdom, until finally he found her, and they fit perfectly."

Vala stared back with wide, uncomprehending eyes.

"I guess it's actually a really good metaphor for. _..this,_ all things considered," he added, finishing with her laces before finally looking up. "And you don't have a _single_ idea what I'm saying, do you?" he asked, though the fondness on his lips and in his eyes counteracted the sharpness of the question. She blinked back at him, and his grin only widened. "Come on, Cinderella," he said gently. "We've got another princess to deal with."

Vala found that, while the shoes were nice against the biting cold, she missed the feel of damp earth under her toes. They were also handy against sharp rocks and bushes covered in thorns, and she had to admit that they were better than the alternative. She resolved to thank Bellamy that moment she got the opportunity.

The walk was long and a lot of it uphill, but finally they were standing in the crash site, the remains of their metal machine sitting in smoking ruins spread across the clearing, charred skeletons laying still against the wreckage, the air smelling of roasting meat and the smoke left over from the explosion.

There were no survivors, and absolutely nothing left to salvage, so they didn't stay long, but even with the short stay, they still didn't make it back before dark.

It was a pretty standard return, everyone staggering back into camp, most yawning or complaining about their feet, everyone heading for the food. Vala stayed by Bellamy's side, twirling her knife around in her hand just for something to do. Some of the party had tried to make conversation with her, but she wasn't in a particularly talkative mood, and most of them were too intimidated by Bellamy to attempt approaching her anyway.

"Bellamy!" a voice called out loudly the moment they got inside camp, and immediately the leader was at attention, turning to look at the approaching boy she knew to be called Miller. "Bellamy, something happened," he began, and Clarke shifted closer too.

"What?" the leader asked flatly, and Miller frowned.

"It's Murphy."

"Murphy?" Bellamy echoed, before pausing as what he was saying sank in.

"Set off one of the trip-wires – he's in pretty bad shape," Miller explained, but Bellamy was already stalking towards the metal cave, Clarke close on his heels, and Vala didn't know what to do other than follow.

"Where is he?" their leader demanded furiously, and everybody shifted uncomfortably. He wound his way to the front of the room, and Vala quickly ducked around a tall girl, laying eyes on the boy sitting in front of her, blood covering almost every inch of visible skin. "Everyone but Connor and Derek, out!" Bellamy snapped, seeming to fall into the emotion of anger. Vala wasn't sure what she felt, she was really just numb. "Now!" he barked again when nobody moved.

The numb began to fade, leaving her veins feeling hot with anger and pain as she relived Charlotte's last moments before she threw herself off the cliff, leaving Vala nothing to do but watch as she disappeared into the abyss.

"He claims he was with the Grounders. We caught him trying to sneak back into camp," the one she assumed was Connor said, eyeing Murphy with as much contempt as anyone else.

"I wasn't sneaking," Murphy grumbled out, both eyes nearly swollen shut, the pain he was in apparent in his voice. "I was running from the Grounders."

"Anyone _see_ any Grounders?" Bellamy questioned, and he was met with a chorus of shaken heads. Vala could do no more than glower down at the frog faced boy in pure hate, hands curled into fists, nails biting into the skin of her palms. "Well, in that case-" he muttered, lifting up his gun and aiming it between this slimy little thing's eyes.

Vala felt a creeping indignation. Uncaring if it was wrong or right, uncaring about the difference between vengeance and justice, all she wanted in that moment was to see frog face dead.

" _Hey_!" Finn snapped abruptly, stepping between the two and shoving the gun to the side. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

"We made it clear what would happen if he came back!" Bellamy growled righteously.

"But if he was with the Grounders, then he knows things that could help us!" the idiot boy argued, and Vala felt her brow furrow.

"He help us? We hanged him, we banished him, and now we're gonna kill him," Bellamy spat. "Get the _hell_ out of my way."

Vala felt her hands curl into fists.

"No," Clarke spoke up before Bellamy could take the shot. "Finn's right."

"Like _hell_ he is!" Bellamy shouted furiously, and Vala couldn't blame his anger. "Clarke, think about Charlotte!"

"I _am_ thinking about her," she clipped back. "But what happened to Charlotte was as much our fault as it was his." She picked up his hand, examining the bloody mess that he was left with. "He's not lying, his fingernails were torn off. They tortured him."

"You and the grounders should compare notes," Finn said snidely to Bellamy. Vala gave a sort of snarl at the comment, but it was lost in the flurry of activity.

"The Grounders know we're at war," Bellamy snapped. "What did you tell them about us?!" he demanded from Murphy, who seemed to retch before speaking.

"Everything," he rasped, and there was a thick, heavy silence that Vala didn't completely understand.

"Once he's better, we find out what he knows, and then he's out of here," Clarke said to Bellamy softly before nodding her head decisively and striding past him.

"And what if he refuses to leave?" the other leader questioned darkly. "What do we do with him then?"

"Then we kill him."

Bellamy seemed pleased with this answer, nodding his head and watching as Clarke left. "What should we do with him?" Derek asked, kicking Murphy with his boot, making the injured toad cough and leaving Vala with a curl of satisfaction.

"Just leave him there," Bellamy said apathetically. "But I want a round-the-clock guard."

"You got it," Connor nodded, and with a final disgusted glower at frog face, Bellamy turned and left. Vala wasn't sure what to do, the fury was still pumping through her veins, and she desperately wanted to do something, anything, to expend the energy it was creating.

"What?" Murphy coughed at her with something of a manic, hysterical giggle. "Are you gonna kick me too?"

"Shut up," Derek spat again, kicking him for her, and with a cursory glance she turned and left.

Stepping out into the night air, she weighed her options. She wasn't that hungry, and she didn't feel like sitting around with the delinquents, half of whom looked at her like she were the enemy, the other half, too eager to please.

She decided that, when it came down to it, the only person she actually wanted to be around was Bellamy, so she set off towards his tent, stepping inside to see him sitting on his makeshift bed, pulling off his boots with a tired sigh.

"Hey," he greeted her softly, the only source of light a flickering lamp, the flame dancing from within it's glass prison. "How were the shoes?" he asked as she came to a stop before him, gesturing down to the boots sitting on her feet.

" _Mochof,_ " she told him sincerely, and once his other shoe was off, he peered up at her in bemusement.

"Mochof?" he repeated, not understanding. She felt a vague curl of intrigue at hearing him attempt to speak her native language, and she bit her lip to smother what would be a telling expression.

She gave a frustrated sigh and took a tentative seat on the makeshift bed beside him. Quickly, she toed off the new shoes, held them up and again said, " _mochof._ "

He paused. "Shoes?" he attempted unsurely.

Huffing, she grasped his arm, placing the boots in them, then waiting a beat before taking them back, making a big show about loving them, smiling at him and saying emphatically, " _mochof_!"

Bellamy now looked nothing but amused. "Are you trying to say thank you?" he finally asked, a single eyebrow cocked at her, a smirk sitting at home on his lips. She shrugged, because she wasn't sure if it was the same thing.

" _Mochof_ , Bellamy," she said with the utmost sincerity, allowing her lips to curl up into a soft, genuine smile before leaning forwards and placing her lips against his cheek. There was the slight drag of stubble against her skin, and she found her blood warming at the feel of it.

"You're welcome, Vala," he murmured once she'd pulled back, and she smiled once more before placing the shoes on the ground and crawling up his bed, laying herself down onto the makeshift mattress.

The night in the tree had done her mind some good, she felt calmer, more centred, but she had to admit that being back with Bellamy...well, if she had any experience in the matter, she might have said it was like coming _home._

She watched, considering as he pulled jacket, then slipped his shirt up over his head, ruffling his already untamable hair. Vala smiled into the pillow beneath her head, laying on her stomach but continuing to watch him interestedly. He splashed his face with water again, took a drink, then dried his skin before flopping onto the mattress beside her, landing on his side and propping his head up on his hand.

Then he simply stared.

She wasn't sure what to do, peering up at him shyly, her face half buried in the pillow that was really just a piece of cloth with a jacket stuffed inside. Unsure, she blinked with her one visible eye, flustered under his thoughtful stare.

"What?" she asked quietly, reaching up with her hand to rub at her nose, which was still a little numb from the cold.

"I've never noticed that one before," he said so suddenly it startled her, and she frowned at him, trying to understand. He reached out and gently caught her hand in his. Her heart gave a tiny stammer from it's place beneath her sternum, and she watched carefully as he drew the extremity closer to him, peering at it through the shadows.

She realised, belatedly, that he was eyeing the scar on her hand. It was large and ugly, wrapping around the back of her hand then moving to curl across her palm in a series of gruesome, jagged rips.

"How?" he asked, quiet, and he gently began to trace his smooth fingertips over the slightly puckered skin. She understood this question, but couldn't help but frown as she contemplated how to answer, made difficult by both the language barrier and his ministrations on her sensitive skin, which were making her mind feel all fuzzy.

"Was _Skaikrasha_ ," she told him simply, fruitlessly hoping the word might be the same in both tongues, but judging by the confused twist in his expression, it wasn't. She frowned, trying to figure out how to explain.

She lifted the hand not held in his, making a gentle 'shhh' noise with her mouth as she mimed rain falling from the sky, then finished with a sharp gesture and a soft crashing noise that was quite clearly meant to be thunder.

Bellamy watched on with the softest look on his face, taking in her minute expressions, the way her brow creased as she thought, and the way her lips pursed with the sounds she was creating.

"Storm?" he supplied, a very long time after he'd actually understood, enjoying the way she was acting it out, finding it sort of adorable (though he'd rather carve out his eyes with spoons than admit it out loud).

Next she mimed a big wave of water, attempting to do so with one hand, as her other one was caught in both of his. Neither was complaining.

"Flood?"

Next she mimed a sort of snake, then finally tugged her hand free to bring it up to her mouth and pretend to bite into it, and suddenly the strange scar made sense – it couldn't have possibly been anything other than a bite that had caused it.

He nodded, finding their strange method of communication to be oddly soothing, stimulating, and entertaining all at the same time.

"How old were you?" he asked gently, capturing her scarred hand once more, resuming his tracing of the marred skin, and she swayed into him at the feeling. "Age?" he tried again when she didn't answer.

She flashed enough fingers for 12, a number that made him grimace, trying not to imagine a tiny, innocent Vala being cast out of her home and forced to go on the run, only to get caught up in a flood and have a chunk taken out of her by a monster in the water. The thought of her, alone and cold and scared, made him frown, the concern he felt for that little girl very real, and also very pointless. He shook himself out of it and returned to tracing the mark.

"Did it hurt?" he asked quietly, unable to help himself.

She nodded slowly, making a shrugging sort of motion before pulling her hand from his, only to grab onto it from a different angle, sliding her fingers between his then staring down at their intertwined hands with an expression he couldn't name.

She was beginning to grow sleepy, her eyelids drooping, and she smiled at him serenely. " _Belomi_ ," she said gently, saying his name in that thick, sleepy voice, using that _accent_ and he really couldn't be blamed for closing the space between them to press their lips together.

It was sleepy and slow, in sharp contrast to the kiss they'd shared before. She inhaled before shifting closer so their noses brushed, letting go of his hand to bring hers up to his neck, fingers curling around the soft, warm skin there and just holding.

The kiss was languid in a way he'd never really experienced before. All he'd ever known was hot and heavy petting in moments stolen between work, he'd never been curled up with someone, sleepy and affectionate, and despite everything about his personality that suggested he would hate it, he had to admit, he was definitely a fan.

Or maybe that was just because it was _Vala_.

Either way, Bellamy drifted off to sleep to the sound of her gentle, even breaths, enjoying the way she curled around him, pressing close to him even from within her dreams.

* * *

 **A/N: Loving the response from last chapter. I hope this one also satisfies. I'm getting a better idea of where this story will be going, and I'm quite a few chapters ahead at this point – but still, I LOVE feedback, it pushes me to write more and write _better,_ and hearing from you guys makes my entire day!**

 **Let me know your thoughts, as always! xx**


	15. Jungle Out There

_If you wanna be with me I could need you now_

 _It's a jungle out there and the teeth are out._

 _Find a better place to be safe with me tonight._

 _In this wild world it's a wild life_

Wild Life – Hedley

* * *

When Vala awoke, it was to pleasant warmth that radiated down her entire right side. She gave a soft hum of appreciation, leaning into the feeling, curling deeper into it like the rays of the sun on a chilly winter's day.

"Come on, Grounder girl," a gruff voice said from the warmth, and she realised she was, as usual, coiled around Bellamy like a cat, burrowed into his side without shame. He didn't seem to mind, however, his lips gently grazing the crown of her head every now and again as she slowly began to force her eyes open, struggling to get used to the sunlight streaming in from the cracks in the fabric of his tent.

Perhaps it should have worried her, how attached she'd become to Bellamy in such a short amount of time. But in that moment she couldn't bring herself to care – she just wanted to bask in his wonderful, calming aura of safety, nuzzling into the warm hollow of his throat until he shivered, making her smile proudly against his hot skin.

 _Too_ hot, she realised with a start, pulling back with a frown. "Okay?" she asked through a concerned frown, blinking the remaining sleep from her eyes and staring down at him cautiously.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Bellamy asked with a charming grin. "I have a beautiful woman in my bed," he added cheekily, and though the quip and corresponding compliment were lost on her, she still allowed herself to be calmed by it, smiling back at him and leaning up to press her lips gently against the dimple in his chin.

He would be fine, she reminded herself. He was _Bellamy._

There was a shout from outside, and his attention shifted to the thin wall of his tent, a torn look on his face. "Stay," she said without guilt, nuzzling into him again, feeling as though he were a magnet, she were his opposing force, and it was impossible not to be inevitably drawn together.

"We can't stay here forever," he laughed gently, the fondness in his voice overwhelming. "I have a camp full of delinquents to manage."

"Stay long by me," she continued as though he hadn't said anything, beginning to gently trace patterns over his sternum, her fingertips cool and calloused, making goosebumps appear in their wake.

There was another shout, and this time Bellamy groaned his annoyance, reluctantly sliding out from under their shared blanket, yanking a shirt on over his bare chest. "Go get some breakfast," he told her, rubbing at his eyes before he slipped his arms through the sleeves of his jacket. "I know you have a lot of sessions to work on today," he added casually.

Her mind worked double time to translate the word, but he supplied the answer before she got there anyway.

"Training," he reminded her, deciphering her blank expression. She nodded, understanding. She had agreed to train the delinquents that day, and though she was looking forward to getting up and moving around, she had to admit that a part of her would be longing for Bellamy – and his bed – all day long. "I'll see you later?" he asked before he ducked out the door, and she cocked her head, slowly nodding, a small smile on her lips. He smiled back, rarely carefree, before slipping from the tent and out into the day.

She only had to pull on her tunic over her undershirt and slip her feet into her new shoes, then she gathered her weapons and was ready to work.

The air was warm when she stepped outside, and she inhaled the scents of the camp that she was quickly becoming so used to, before heading over to what the kids called the 'cafeteria'. Vala didn't know what that word meant, but she supposed it meant a small shack made of wood where they kept the food.

Jasper and Monty were on duty. Well, Monty was at least. Jasper was leaned back against a tree, a grin on his face as he launched into yet another tale of his heroics the day before at the bridge. Monty shot her an exasperated sort of eye roll that she felt was meant as some kind of shared joke, but she didn't really get it.

"Did I see you come out of Bellamy's tent just now?" Monty asked once he'd passed her a stick of smoked meat and a small leaf full of berries.

"Bit late to catch on, aren't you?" the girl Jasper was chatting up sneered, sending the other boy a look of disdain, like he was somehow pathetic for not being caught up with the camp's rumour mill. "They've been sleeping together since we got here." She turned to Vala, eyeing her up and down. "I don't see the appeal from _his_ side of things, myself," she muttered to Jasper conspiratorially, and the shaggy-haired boy gave somewhat of a derisive laugh.

Monty rolled his eyes again, casting the Grounder an apologetic look that was unnecessary, considering she understood very little about this insult.

"I suppose I'm not surprised," Jasper began, leaping on the chance to be in on the joke. "We all know what Bellamy's like," he said offhandedly, like that explained everything. The tall, vapid girl nodded intently, like it was the smartest input anybody had ever given her.

Another girl joined them, asking Jasper something else, which launched him into another gripping tale, and Vala took the opportunity to duck away, only to stop when Monty called her name.

"Ignore them," he told her with a small smile. "They're all just jealous Bellamy likes _you_ and not them." She cocked her head curiously, not understanding. "Every girl here is halfway in love with the guy," he added with another roll of his eyes. "But don't worry, believe me when I say you have _nothing_ to worry about."

She wasn't worried about anything, but she nodded with a thankful smile nonetheless, and he handed her an extra packet of berries before smiling and heading back to his task.

She took a few minutes to eat her food, enjoying it immensely, before moving directly for the group of children going through stretches with a delinquent Vala vaguely recognised as Harper.

"Hey Vala," she greeted the Grounder brightly, like they were close friends and not just-barely-acquainted acquaintances. Vala raised her scarred hand in greeting, quickly scanning the group, wondering whether they would be easy or difficult to teach the basics to.

They were all on the young side, every one of them at _least_ under fourteen. They looked eager to learn though, all of them holding makeshift weapons and eager expressions on their faces.

A pair of girls at the front of the small pack were whispering between themselves, casting the Grounder rapt looks after every other sentence.

"I've had them go through some stretches, but beyond that, I haven't got a clue," Harper admitted with a sheepish smile, and Vala decided that she liked her very much.

"No _swis_ ," she said rather than try to form a reply, but only received blank expressions in return. " _Swis_ ," she repeated as though it might make a difference. In a smooth movement she extracted her knife from it's sheath and held it up in an exaggerated move. "No," she said slowly, pointing to it, then pointing to them.

"I think she's trying to say that you won't need weapons," Harper attempted to translate, and the kids all dropped their homemade knives and shivs. Vala nodded happily, opened her mouth to begin, but suddenly the girl in the front raised her hand to the sky.

This was an action Vala actually understood. They were asked to do the same thing when she was back at home, in her lessons as a young child. She wanted to ask a question, and though Vala had no clue what it could _possibly_ be in regards to, she still nodded.

"I heard you sleep with Bellamy every night," she proclaimed for all to hear, and giggles travelled through the group like a virus.

Blinking in pure shock at the statement, Vala could do no more than stare, trying to piece together whether this kind of topic in such a public setting was normal amongst the Sky People. Considering it wasn't an actual question (as far as she could tell, anyway – her grasp of English was tenuous at best, though she did admit she was far better at understanding it than she was at speaking it) Vala decided to simply not respond.

She lifted her hands in fists, opening her mouth to begin to instruct them on how to throw a punch, when a slightly younger girl in the back shot her arm into the air. Bewildered, Vala lowered her fists and nodded to the giddy looking delinquent.

"Emily says she saw you and Bellamy kissing up against a tree in front of camp the other night," this one said loudly, and again, the group dissolved into excited titters.

Vala had absolutely no idea what to say.

Another hand shot into the air, but the girl was already speaking before Vala could so much as nod at her. "Is it true Bellamy has an 8-pack?" she asked blithely, blinking up at her innocently. "And also, what's 'necking'?"

Whether it was the sheer inappropriateness of the whole thing, or simply the expression on the poor Grounder's face, Harper took pity on her, stepping in with an amused quirk to her lips. "Okay, how about we keep all the questions _self-defence related_?" she suggested in a way that suggested it wasn't a suggestion at all, and the group stopped giggling.

Vala nodded at Harper gratefully, than opened her mouth to begin again, only for another hand to shoot skyward, this time from a mousy-haired boy who couldn't have been older than thirteen. "Yes?" she finally spoke, and the group broke into more whispers at the first sound of her voice.

The boy puffed himself up like a peacock and eyed her in a way that made her dread whatever would come next. "How many Grounders have you killed?"

The girl next to him slammed an elbow into his gut and hissed, "Michael!" in a scandalised voice.

"I mean... _bad_ ones," he corrected, though it didn't do much good.

Vala didn't answer for a minute or so, considering the question carefully before deciding this was a far better alternative to the sex-related ones, so she lifted her shoulders in a shrug before answering. "Many," she told them, and they all crept forwards, eager for more details.

" _How_ many?" the boy asked pointedly. "More than ten?"

She thought for a beat. "Yes."

"More than twenty?"

"Yes."

"More than thirty?"

"Yes."

"More than _forty_?!"

"How about we begin sparring?!" Harper interjected loudly, and the students all grumbled irritably about the question-and-answer session being cut off early, but they didn't argue outright. Vala watched as the broad form of the camp's leader and a small group of boys with guns ambled past, and she knew that she wasn't imagining the amused curl of Bellamy's lips.

Training was easy enough, and the hours passed quickly and in a flurry of gentle sparring, laughing children and a series of irritating, invasive, unending _questions_ , most of which she only understood just enough to garner that they were wildly inappropriate.

She knew one thing for sure: these children were _heathens._

Still, she made some progress. Most of them could actually throw a decent punch by the end of their sessions, and she was glad they seemed to be listening and understanding her well enough to know not to hold their thumbs inside their fists when they struck.

Harper stayed by her side most of the day, quickly getting the hang of translating Vala's mumbled nonsense, helping correct the kids' stance when necessary. They were having a break when the first of the sickness broke out.

Harper was telling her something about how she'd always wanted to be on the guard, and she was paying attention and calmly drinking water until the boy beside her broke into violent coughs.

Vala was surprised by the sudden sound, but still reached over to pat him on the back like she'd seen others do before, only for him to vomit blood onto her lap. She blinked down at the mess, processing what had just happened as the poor kid slumped into his pile of blood, still coughing, albeit much less violently than before.

"Clarke, please?" she asked Harper politely, the girl herself staring at the collapsed boy in horror. Before she could even climb fully to her feet, somebody across the camp began to hack up their own puddle of blood, and that was when people began to get really nervous, edging away from him anxiously.

Nobody seemed to be game to come any closer, even Harper was shuffling away from the sick boy in her lap, so with a sigh Vala slipped an arm around his middle and hauled him to his feet with only minimal grunting.

Nobody seemed to want to help her, which made it difficult to drag the limp patient all the way across the camp to the metal cave. Puffing for breath, struggling to keep the dazed boy on his feet, she shouldered her way into the cave with a growl.

Everything went dead silent when she entered, and she looked up to see everyone staring at her. Bellamy was there, and he surged forwards to help her with the weight, but Clarke shouted a sharp, "no!" and he backed off.

Bewildered by how they were all acting, she watched as Clarke instead moved over to her, leading them to a space in the corner and helping her lower the sick boy to the floor.

"Clarke?" she asked, struggling to understand (though, really, what was new?). "What happen?" she questioned in her broken English.

Clarke waited until she'd finished her assessment of the new patient until she stood, turning on Vala with hard eyes. "You tell us," she said, voice hard.

"Clarke," Bellamy interjected from where he stood, hands clutching at his gun. Clarke waited for him to say more, but no more words ever came, he merely stared helplessly between the pair.

"No understand," Vala said, growing frustrated. "Sick?"

"It's Murphy," Clarke explained once she'd taken a breath to calm down. "The Grounders infected him with something – a virus. And now it's spreading through us one by one." She stopped, narrowing her eyes at the older woman carefully, watching her every move. "Do you know anything about this? What it is? How to cure it?"

Vala didn't even know it was possible to do, let alone what it was or how to fix it. "Am banished," she explained remorsefully, expression tight with emotion.

"I _know_ ," Clarke responded with a sharp edge of impatience. "But you _have_ to know _something_ ," she insisted firmly.

"Am banished," Vala repeated, because that was the only possible answer she could give. She didn't know what this was, she didn't know how it worked or where it came from or how to cure it. All she knew was that her new friends, the Sky People, were in danger, and she was useless to stop it.

"I _know_ you're banished, Vala," Clarke snapped irritably.

"Hey," Bellamy said calmly, sliding between them, hands held out placatingly. "She doesn't know anything, Clarke," he murmured lowly to the healer, who dropped her head into her hands and sighed.

"I know she doesn't," she muttered, but it was quiet in the metal cave, and the sound carried. "But what other leads do we have?"

Forcing herself to speak up, Vala cleared her throat. "Clarke need cure," she said, matter-of-fact.

"You don't happen to 'know a guy in the area' or anything, I suppose?" Clarke said in a weak attempt to lighten the mood. The joke went over the Grounder's head. She did nothing more than crinkle her nose back, and Clarke sighed tiredly.

"Okay, so we don't know what it is, and we don't know how to fix it," Bellamy said suddenly, his gruff voice relaxing Vala immediately. "What _do_ we know?"

"Just that it came through _Murphy_ ," Clarke spat the name with resentment.

"Is this your revenge?" Bellamy suddenly turned on the boy on the floor, beaten to a bloody pulp, both eyes all but swollen shut. "Helping the Grounders kill us?"

"I didn't know about this," frog face told him evenly. "I swear."

"Stop _lying_!" Bellamy roared, and Vala could hear the bloody kid swallow from across the room. "When are they coming?" he demanded, quieter but still just as harsh.

Frog face merely stared back, hatred glinting in his beady eyes; for the Grounders or the Sky People, it was impossible to tell. "Murphy, think," Clarke approached him much more calmly, turning back to him in a soothing sort of voice. "What can you tell us that's useful? Did you hear anything?"

Murphy was already shaking his head.

"They are _vicious_ ," he said slowly, seriously, like nothing he'd ever said in his life had ever been more true. "Cruel..." he trailed off, eyes flickering over to Vala, who was perched against the wall, watching him through a heavy, burdened frown. " _All_ of them," he spat, glaring at her with a level of contempt that was impressive for someone who looked to be more blood than skin.

"You want to _see_ vicious?" Bellamy asked in a snarl, just gearing for a fight, hand already curled around the barrel of his gun.

"Don't," Clarke shut him down before it could go further. "Whatever this things is, it spreads through contact." She paused, eyes moving over to Vala, who was staring at the floor with a furrowed brow. "Don't touch Vala, either," she added in a slightly softer voice. "She's covered in contaminated blood," she explained at his questioning look, and she turned to glance at the Grounder, who now looked more pensive than anything else.

There was a shout and somebody burst through the doors, but Vala paid no attention. Upon realising it was just Finn, Bellamy turned away, heading over to Vala but taking care not to get too close.

"How do you feel?" he asked in an undertone, ducking his head in an attempt to meet her eyes.

"Am okay," she promised him, pushing herself upright to look at him properly. "Bellamy?"

"Okay," he assured her, but something about the odd pale sheen to his face made her doubt it. Before she could voice her concerns, there was a loud and violent splutter from beside her, and the boy on the ground, the one who had collapsed on her, began to seize.

With little regard for herself, Vala plunged down to his level, completely ignoring Clarke's cried warning. " _You're okay_ ," she told him in Trigedasleng, rubbing a hand against his back as he retched, more blood spewing from his lips and onto the metal floor. He threw up, more and more blood pouring out, and Vala began to feel more and more ill herself, until finally he collapsed to the floor and fell frighteningly still.

The others stood over them, staring down in horror.

Clarke carefully knelt down, gingerly pressing her fingers to his pulse point. "Is he...?" Bellamy trailed off despairingly.

"He's dead," Clarke confirmed in a hollow voice.

Throat tight, Vala leaned over him, head bowed in respect. " _Yu gonplei ste odon_ ," she said mournfully, and there was a long, long minute of frozen silence before the world began to move once more and Clarke was stumbling to her feet, passing out moonshine for people to disinfect their hands.

They were talking, their voices rushed and panicked, but Vala was too shaken to listen.

This was _her_ fault. Maybe not directly, but her people, the clan, _they_ had done this. _They_ were responsible for this boy's – and who knew how many more to come – death.

Anya had called her a deserter, though she was anything but. She may not have considered herself to be one of them, but they were still her blood, her origin, her _people,_ and they were hurting the people she had come to love, albeit in such a short period of time.

There had to be something more she could do. Run to the outer villages, talk with the healers there about a cure? It might work, but it would take far too long. Who knew how many they'd lose in the time it would take for her to get there and back?

She vaguely registered Bellamy running out, but she didn't have the time to spare to follow, she needed to speak with Clarke.

The healer herself was rummaging through a small green box, frowning as she looked for something that Vala knew would probably be of little use. "Clarke," she began, wondering what to say, and how to say it.

"You want to know what you can do," Clarke said without even looking up from her task.

Blinking, Vala swallowed. "Yes."

"There's something you can do, but Bellamy won't like it," she told her gently, making sure they wouldn't be overheard.

This made Vala pause, but not for long. "Will save Sky People?" she asked tightly.

Clarke finally paused her task, looking up at the Grounder properly. "It's the best chance we have," she promised emphatically, and just like that, Vala found herself agreeing.

When Octavia appeared in the metal cave, Bellamy in tow, Vala found it hard not to feel guilty for her decision. But Clarke had explained it – in simple, slow terms – and she knew it was their best bet. It would save him, and even if he was angry at her forever, it would be worth it.

"How're you feeling now?" Bellamy asked her, Octavia shuffling closer to Clarke, who picked up a small lamp and began to shine it in her mouth, looking for the signs only a healer could see.

"Okay," she nodded decisively, because she did. Apart from the weight of the world on her shoulders and the pull of guilt in her gut, she was fine, she just wished she could say the same for the people surrounding her, dropping like flies by the minute. "Bellamy?" she checked.

He gave a stoic nod, his attention already back on Octavia, who was doing as a quickly-weakening Clarke was telling her.

"Okay, you're fine," the healer finally declared, and Octavia let out a breath. "No physical signs of swelling or bleeding."

"So you're saying she doesn't have it?" Bellamy asked immediately.

"I'm saying she doesn't have symptoms," Clarke corrected exhaustedly. "But that could change. We need to keep her here, just in case."

"No way. Look at this place. You'll get sick just being here."

"Do you want to stop the spread or not?" Bellamy sighed, torn. "Look, I'll keep her on the third level with people who aren't symptomatic yet." He still didn't look pleased, but he knew there were few options. "Think of it as a way to stop her from sneaking out again."

"Screw you, Clarke," Octavia bit out, and despite it all, Vala had to stifle a smile. The girl would make a good Grounder, she thought idly.

"I'll let you know if her condition changes," Clarke promised Bellamy, who gave them all a final assessing glance before turning to leave.

Unable to help herself, Vala surged forwards. "Bellamy!" she called, shrugging off Clarke's hand, casting her a look that promised not to tell him about the plan. Bellamy paused by the door, turning back to look at her. "Sky boy stay safe," she said, and to the untrained ear it sounded like an order. To the two of them, it sounded like a plead.

"Grounder girl stay _healthy_ ," he countered, not knowing that she was about to leave, and she wasn't even sure she'd see him again, a smirk flickering to life on his lips for a split second before it disappeared from view and he stalked back out into the daylight.

With a heavy sigh, Vala turned back to Clarke and Octavia, who were now in a whispered conversation, ensuring they wouldn't be overheard. "I'll be back as soon as I can," Octavia was promising Clarke, but the blonde caught her by the arm, pulling her to a stop.

"You're not going alone," she admitted, and Octavia looked confused for a beat before her eyes flickered over to Vala, who stood watching, arms crossed over her chest.

"I don't need a _babysitter,_ Clarke," Octavia spat angrily.

"She's going with you, or you're not going at all, Octavia," Clarke told her, no-nonsense and unwavering. Octavia's jaw clicked exactly as her brother's did, but with a sharp nod she turned and headed for the door. "Take care of her," Clarke murmured to the Grounder, staring after the headstrong young woman. Vala bowed her head in promise, then headed out after Octavia, pulling her to a stop before she could traipse out into the open.

"Quiet," she whispered, and Octavia huffed.

"I've done this before, you know?" she grumbled, but did fall silent, allowing Vala to step out and scan for witnesses before ushering her out and around the back of the metal cave, where she knew there to be a gap in the fencing. It seemed Octavia knew this too, because she hardly seemed surprised to see it there.

Slipping out was really actually terribly easy, and the two broke into a brisk jog as soon as they were out of sight. They ran in silence for the first half hour, Octavia having to stop every now and again for a breather, which Vala would admit she wasn't adverse to either. She was human, after all.

"How come you don't know anything about the virus?" Octavia was the first to speak, and they were still far enough away from Trikru territory that she didn't think it was an issue.

"Am banished," Vala said for what had to be the hundredth time. Why did the Skaikru insist on asking such stupid, repetitive questions?

"So, you left when you were too young to learn, or something?" she summarised, and Vala nodded in affirmation. They were quiet for another three minutes. "Why'd you do it?"

"Hm?" Vala hummed, reaching out to steady the girl when she nearly slipped on a moss-covered stone.

"Sneak out with me?" Octavia elaborated through her pants. "Bellamy is going to be _so_ pissed."

"Bellamy be safe," she told her simply, because, wasn't it obvious?

Octavia gave a breathless sort of laugh. "He's such a hypocrite," the girl said with a huff. "Ranting and raving about me and Lincoln, when he's been all over _you_ since day _one._ Asshole," she muttered bitterly as she jumped surprisingly gracefully over a large puddle of mud. "It just isn't fair, y'know?" she continued, pressing a hand against the stitch in her side while Vala continued to run, staring ahead, watching their path and scanning for any hint of a threat. "And it's so _obvious_ that it isn't fair, but his head's stuck down too far between your boobs to notice or something, because he can't even see it!"

Okay, so Octavia had officially lost her, but it wasn't for lack of trying.

"He's just so gone on you that he can't even see straight. You know I caught him _humming_ the other day? Ugh, it's disgusting – and then he has the _audacity_ to shout at me about Lincoln, as if the situation isn't almost exactly the same!"

They slowed for another break, Octavia taking a few moments to catch her breath.

"It _is_ nice to see him happy though, so I guess I owe you a thanks, or whatever," she continued to chatter, and Vala raised an eyebrow at the combination of the girl's demeanour and the few words she'd been able to pick out. "Just, be good to him? He deserves the best, he really does. And, well, I think, in a weird, unexpected way, you're kinda perfect for him, y'know?"

Vala _didn't_ know, but she thought she understood the basic gist of what was happening, and sent the youngest Blake and thankful smile before nodding her head in the direction of the Trikru boundary, the pair falling into silence once more.

* * *

They didn't speak again until they made it to Lincoln's hole, and Octavia made a move to head down first.

"I go down," Vala hissed, pushing her firmly out of the way. "You scream if be kill," she added quickly.

"Great, thanks," Octavia bit back, crossing her arms but deciding it was the worst possible time to argue.

The last time Vala had been down there, she'd been stabbed by a poisoned blade and given such a bad concussion, she saw double for days – she could only hope history (however recent) wasn't going to repeat itself, and she dropped into the Grounder's home, footsteps quiet on the soil as she crept along the tunnels, heading for the centre.

She sensed the presence more than heard or saw it, and acting out of pure instinct she whirled around, her knife already in hand. The cool press of a blade made itself known on her throat, but she felt eased knowing hers was in the mirrored position, pressed against the Grounder's jugular, prepared to kill.

" _I'm here with Octavia_ ," she told him in their language, and his expression tightened.

" _Where is she_?" he asked, seeming unimpressed by her glare.

" _Above,_ " she answered, but his eyes never left her face. " _You know about the sickness_?" she asked, and the warrior didn't need to nod for her to know she was right. " _Will you help_?"

He was quiet for a beat. " _I will only speak with Octavia,_ " he finally replied, and though this was less than preferable, but supposed it couldn't be avoided. Slipping two fingers into her mouth, she let out a low, quiet whistle, just loud enough for Octavia to hear from her spot, and in barely the blink of an eye the Sky girl was there, flying into Lincoln's arms before he pulled back to assess her.

"I'm fine," she assured him, then turned to Vala. "Give us a minute?"

Vala didn't move a muscle, expression unflinching.

"If it was you and Bellamy..." Octavia trailed off, knowing it was a low blow, but it worked nonetheless, Vala sending Lincoln a warning stare before stepping into an adjoining tunnel, allowing the pair of lovers space to talk.

She could still hear, of course, but at least she wasn't standing there, staring at them. She could see how that would be uncomfortable.

She listened intently, furiously scambling to translate the English into Trigedasleng, deciphering what they were saying. "Battlefield?" Octavia murmured, and there was a long, pregnant pause before Lincoln finally answered.

"They attack at first light."

Vala's entire body went rigid, and she swallowed thickly, gripping the hilt of her dagger so tightly that her knuckles went white.

A few Grounders, they could handle. But the entire army, the fury of the Commander reigning down on them, the full power of her people – they didn't stand a chance. Not even the ever resourceful Sky People would survive that battle. They were all as good as dead.

She continued to listen with one ear, hearing as Lincoln asked Octavia to run away with him. It reminded her of Bellamy, only a few short weeks ago, asking her to do the same. Maybe the similarities were too big to be ignored.

Finally Octavia was running out, and Vala caught her before she could leave without her, leaning back into the room to see Lincoln staring after them in concern. The look in his eyes made her ache, and she couldn't help it, her stomach leaping as she thought of Bellamy. " _I'll bring her back to you,_ " she promised him recklessly in the language of their people, and the stoic Grounder bowed his head before Octavia was yanking, and then they were climbing to the surface, and then they were running.

They said nothing, not a word, not this time.

They ran with everything they had, pushing themselves as hard as they could, Octavia keeping up with Vala easily, knowing exactly what was at stake. They had no regard for their own lives, sprinting through Trikru territory without a glance at their surroundings. But then, Vala figured, they were all probably away, preparing for the battle.

They were only a few minutes out from the camp when they heard the gunshots, and Vala pushed herself harder than ever. The two guards posted at the gates gaped when they saw her sprinting full speed towards them, but they let her through without so much as a blink, knowing there would be hell to pay if they didn't.

She burst through the crowd, Octavia hot on her heels.

"Octavia will come back with a cure," Clarke was saying, slouched against Finn wearily, hit by the sickness.

"There is no cure!" Octavia announced loudly, and Bellamy whipped around so quickly it must have hurt. His gaze flickered between his sister and Vala, like he wasn't sure who to stare at first. Eventually he settled on his sister, taking her in, relieved she still appeared unaffected. "But the Grounders don't use the sickness to kill!"

"Really?" Bellamy asked roughly, the pain in his eyes almost too much for Vala to bear. "Tell that to them!" he growled, gesturing wildly behind him, where bodies were beginning to pile up like firewood, and Vala's heart sunk to her knees. "I _warned_ you about seeing that Grounder again," he said, voice calm and measured but somehow still deadly.

"Yeah, well, I have a warning for you too," Octavia replied darkly. She paused, levelling out her breathing before raising her voice to the crowd. "The Grounders are coming!" The delinquents broke into terrified whispers, but Vala could only watch Bellamy, take in the defeated slump of his shoulders. "And they're attacking at first light!"

Octavia made to storm past him, and he grasped desperately at her arm. With a snarl she ripped it from his grip, glaring up at him with contempt. She stormed away, helping Finn get Clarke into the metal cave without a glance back at her brother.

Vala watched the dip of Bellamy's throat before he asked Raven, "how many bullets can we make by first light?"

She paused, considering, then said with rueful conviction, "I think we're about to find out."


	16. You're Not Alone

_Stitch in your knitted brow_

 _And you don't know how_

 _You're gonna get it out_

 _Crushed under heavy chest_

 _Trying to catch your breath_

 _But it always beats you by a step, all right now_

 _Making the best of it_

 _Playing the hand you get_

 _Well, you're not alone in this_

 _There's hope for the hopeless_

Hope for the Hopeless – A Fine Frenzy

* * *

The camp was working on overtime, but Vala didn't know what to do with herself.

She wasn't a healer, she knew nothing about guns and the Sky People were weird about their food, meaning she couldn't go near it to pack rations. Nobody even had the time to run through some fighting practise, leaving her without a single thing to do. She hovered close to Bellamy instead, even though he barely looked at her in the hours that passed.

She took to sharpening all the knives she could get her hands on, then fashioning more out of spare metal when she ran out. It was all she could do to keep herself from going absolutely insane. The terror, the panic was welling up inside of her by the minute, and she was afraid it was all going to come bursting out, in the most embarrassing and inconvenient way possible.

She was in the ammunition tent with the others, struggling to keep up but listening all the same, when they finally came up with a plan. "You want blow up bridge?" she asked Bellamy as they prepared to leave, everything happening so quickly, people rushing from one end of the camp to the other. It wasn't helping her anxiety, but instead the bustling was telling her brain to prepare for attack.

"Yes," he said curtly, seeming to have little patience for her questions, which was a far cry from his usual self.

"Smart?" she questioned, face scrunched in consternation.

Bellamy was quiet for a long few moments, then he lifted his head, a scowl on his face. "With Clarke out of commission, they need all the help they can get in the drop ship," he said tonelessly, jutting his chin in the direction of the metal cave before turning to leave. It couldn't have possibly been more of a dismissal.

"Bellamy," she called, her voice pleading, and her small hand snapping out to grasp at his. He paused in her hold, feeling her rough skin over his own, basking in the way her thumb brushed over his bruised knuckles, before reality set back in and he pulled away with a grimace.

"Not now, Vala," he said thickly, not meeting her eyes. "Just, not now."

And then he left, and she knew he was so hurt over what she'd done – helping Octavia sneak out to see Lincoln – that she could only beg the stars for him to forgive her.

And that was how she found herself in the metal cave, pressing a damp cloth to a sick boy's head, listening as he coughed and spluttered.

"Will you...go?" she asked, unable to stand the tension in the room. You could have cut it with a dagger, it was nearly suffocating. Octavia was close, only a hammock away with Clarke, and she didn't need to speak loud to be overheard.

"Hm?" Octavia hummed, but Vala knew she'd understood.

"Lincoln," she said anyway, pressing the compress down his face, wiping off the sheen of sweat that now coated his skin. "Will you go?"

The question weighed heavily on Vala's mind, making her feel strangely ill in her gut, like she'd eaten some bad berries. If Octavia left, Bellamy would be beyond devastated. Would he blame _her_?

Octavia was silent for so long that Vala thought maybe she'd just decided to pretend she'd never spoken at all. "Yes," she finally answered, her voice cracking over the word. "It won't be easy, but, yes."

Vala nodded even though she couldn't be seen. "Why?" she asked, tone pleasantly curious.

Octavia paused again. "Why are you so good to us?" she eventually questioned, rather than answer.

Vala pondered this question carefully. " _Oso throu daun ogeda_ ," she told her in her softest voice. Octavia looked frustratedly confused. "Mean: we fight together."

"I don't understand," Octavia admitted with a frown, still mopping at an unconscious Clarke's head.

Vala considered how best to say it. "Mean: I find family...be you," she finally said, the sincerity in her voice making Octavia's throat feel thick.

"You mean, you're a Sky girl, now?" she teased, reacting the only way she knew how.

Vala wasn't in the mood for jokes. "No Sky Girl, no Grounder Girl," she revealed with a sad sort of shrug, like she'd long ago accepted her fate. "Just be...girl."

Something about the words stirred in Octavia's chest, but she didn't have the time to process it, as light flooded the room.

" _Belomi_!" Vala cried rather loudly in that strange sort of accent she usually tried to hide, and that was when Octavia spun around, peering in horror at her near-unconscious brother.

Vala didn't have time for Octavia to freeze up, but it didn't matter, she brushed past her and darted to Bellamy's side, taking one of his arms from the boys carrying him.

"Clear some space, lay him down!" Octavia had kicked back into action, but Vala paid little attention, letting the much larger Bellamy down as gently as she possibly could. He still groaned in pain at the way he was jostled, and she realised there was little she could do to ease his discomfort.

Instantly he gagged, blood flowing from his mouth and pouring down his chin. The sight terrified Vala, and she felt sick herself, eyes stinging with unwelcome tears as she tilted him so he didn't choke on the thickened blood.

"Hey big brother," Octavia was cooing to him, but Vala was too concerned with checking his heart rate and fever, pressing a compact to his boiling head.

"I'm scared," Bellamy murmured to his little sister, and feeling like she was intruding on an incredibly personal moment, Vala looked away, taking the moment to get herself under control. She shuffled out of hearing range, running her fingers under her eyes, catching the traitorous tears that had gathered there and smearing her traditional kohl even further, but at this point, it was the furthest thing from her mind.

Her eyes continued to sting, and her jaw began to ache, along with a pain in her chest that she figured was from trying to keep her ridiculous sobs under control. Why was she panicking? Worse things had happened in the past, and she hadn't cried then. So why now?

Reaching for her arms, she quickly pinched the sensitive skin between her fingers, pulling enough to burn, the action seeming to magically dry the wetness from her eyes. She swallowed, pinching for another few moments, getting ahold of herself, before she turned back to the siblings, whose private moment was over, Bellamy now unconscious, head tilted back against the floor.

"Vala?" Octavia murmured carefully once she realised the Grounder had returned. Vala hummed in response, squeezing the excess water from her cloth and moving over to another groaning delinquent. "I'll do that," Octavia said suddenly, standing to her feet. Vala stared up at her in bewilderment. "I'm going to be brutally honest here," she said with a ghost of a smile. "You have a _terrible_ bedside manner. Really. You're so awkward around people, it's _weird_."

Vala smiled back, taking the teasing for what it was, a brief distraction.

"Besides," she continued gently, casting a fond look over at her slumbering brother. "He was asking for you."

A warm sort of feeling bubbled up inside her chest, and she didn't bother staying to argue. She just _really_ needed to feel his skin against hers, feel the thump of his pulse underneath her fingertips, silently reminding her that he was alive.

She sat down beside him, slowly curling her fingers around his limp hand. He didn't so much as flinch, and she continued moving gently until his hand encompassed hers. She threaded their fingers together and couldn't help but let out a contented sigh at the contact. Glancing up, she took in the thick smears of blood still coating his face, and with a frown, brought the damp cloth still in her free hand up to his cheek, slowly beginning to wipe at the red.

" _Ste yuj_ ," she murmured to him almost without thought. " _Belomi, ste yuj_ ," she begged, wishing she knew more about this virus, wishing she knew a way to help.

A long time passed, the minutes ticking by at a snail's pace. Once all the blood was cleaned from Bellamy's face, she moved onto his hands, then once they too were back to their usual olive tone, she dropped the rag and instead began to trace her fingers down his face.

She trailed the very tips of her fingers over his thin brows, then down over the slope of his nose. His cheekbones fascinated her, high and sharp, she traced the smattering of freckles that sat there with the reverence of an artist. His lips were dry and cracked, but she remembered how they'd felt against hers, and she begged the stars to let it not have been the only time she would ever get the chance to experience it.

The connection they shared ran deep – she didn't fully understand it herself. All she knew was that, when they were together, it was like she wasn't alone any more, it was like she had a _family_.

When he finally came to, it was to the feeling of her hands softly running through his hair, brushing gently against his scalp in the most soothing of ways. Blinking his eyes open, he grunted at the light as it hurt his eyes. It was hard to take in air, his breaths shallow, and when he finally looked up at her face, he was met with an expression of intense concern.

"Vala," her name fell from his lips like a prayer, and she gasped almost silently upon realising he was awake.

"Bellamy," she said gently, the hand held within his gripping as though he might suddenly disappear, the one wound into his hair stilling. "Bellamy healthy?" she asked him, her voice weak as she stared down at him, a glint of sadness in her eyes that tugged at his chest.

His answer was a hacking cough, but she didn't move away. "You should go," he said instead. "You might get sick."

Her only reply was to hold him tighter, her jaw set stubbornly as she frowned down at him, just daring him to tell her to leave one more time. It was a predictable move, and it made him chuckle, before he was cut off by another series of pained coughs.

They descended into silence, Vala watching him intently, eyes roaming over his body protectively, looking for the smallest sign he was about to keel over and die. "You shouldn't have taken Octavia to the Grounder," he finally wheezed out, unable to help himself from gripping back at her warm hand. He knew it probably wasn't the best time for this conversation, but the last thing he wanted was to sit in silence with nothing to focus on but his throbbing head and aching body.

"Octavia do what Octavia do," Vala responded, the answer perfectly simple, and even he knew he couldn't argue with it.

"I know," he sighed, eyes closed against his growing headache. "You went with her because you knew she'd go anyway, right?" he murmured, a rueful sort of smile curling at his lips. "You were protecting her."

He couldn't see her, but he felt her tense, not sure what to make of his deduction.

"Thank you," he said sincerely, tenderly brushing his thumb across the back of her hand, a thousand other words on his tongue, none he could bring himself to say.

Next thing he knew, her fingers were going back to carding through his unruly hair, and he felt the gentle brush of soft lips against his clammy forehead. "Be rest now, Sky Boy," she told him in a hushed voice, the moment just for them, and he sighed, finding it ironic that that would be the moment he felt safest since landing on the ground.

Vala knew he'd fallen back unconscious when his eyes started to flicker from beneath his lids. She wondered what he dreamt about when he slept; war, peace, family, love?

She sat for another stretch of time, running her fingers through his hair and wiping sweat from his brow. It was peaceful, even if anxiety gnawed at her insides like a feral reaper. How long would it be until the clan arrived? These children wouldn't handle it. They'd only had but a taste of what war would bring, she wasn't sure they fully understood the _danger_ they were in.

"Vala," somebody said, the call more of a whisper than anything, and immediately she spun, knife in hand, prepared to gut her would-be attacker. It was the floppy haired boy, Finn. He was standing by the doors to the metal cave, a wild look to his eyes, anxious impatience spread over his flushed features.

Concerned and curious, Vala leaned down to press a quick, tender kiss to Bellamy's burning forehead before standing to her feet and hurrying over to the boy, who was practically shaking with barely concealed adrenaline. She didn't know what to say when she approached him, but he merely grabbed her arm and began to pull, dragging her in the direction of the far wall. He only stopped when they were far enough away to not be overheard by any of the delinquents.

"Raven's gone to plant the bomb herself," he told her in a rushed, panicked voice. "I need you to come with Jasper and I to help her."

She processed this, then asked, "why?"

"Protection," he said instantly, "and I figure you know the quickest route there." She said nothing, sparkling eyes narrowed and assessing, her war paint dark and striking. "We don't have time for hesitation, Vala," he snapped, though she realised he was merely desperate. Miraculously understanding, she took a beat to consider what he was asking.

Save Raven and complete the plan of destroying the bridge to delay the Trikru's attack. It was simple, really, and there was little reason to say no, other than her intense pull to stay near Bellamy. What if something happened while she were gone?

She realised immediately how wrong and selfish this thought was, and knew that in itself gave her her answer.

She finally nodded, and with a relieved sigh, Finn turned and headed for the gate, where an antsy looking Jasper was waiting, shifting his weight from foot to foot, a large gun held in a tight grip.

"Bridge this way," she said curtly, breaking into a run before they'd even reached the trees. The boys were surprisingly good at keeping up, though she supposed that could have been the pressure and adrenaline the situation was producing.

She didn't feel lighthearted as she ran. All she felt was a sinking weight in her chest – like a heavy stone over her breast, pressing down on her delicate heart. She pushed herself harder, faster, and eventually she thought she could hear her pulse pumping in her ears. It took a few minutes for her to realise it wasn't her heart at all, but rather something much more horrifying.

She came to an abrupt stop, Finn just about slamming into her before he stepped out of the way just in time. Their heavy breaths filled the air, then Jasper asked, "do you hear that?"

There was a beat, the anxiety beginning to tear at Vala's insides like it was something trying to escape.

"War drums," Finn said solemnly, before taking off against without hesitation, sprinting in the direction of the bridge.

"We're running _toward_ the war drums?!" Jasper shouted after him irritably, but Vala spared him no thought, pushing herself after him, diving across a small ravine with all the ease of a panther, landing smoothly on the other side and continuing towards the repetitive, terrifying sound.

She was so close to danger, so close to seeing her people. They would attack without mercy. She wasn't one of them, not any more. They without a doubt knew of her new allegiance to the Skaikru, and she would be treated as more than a mere deserter – she would be treated as the enemy.

The Sky People had made her feel welcome in a way that nobody ever had, and if saving them meant putting herself blatantly in harm's way, then that was exactly what she was going to do. She would fight tooth and nail to protect these people, these wonderful, brilliant humans of the stars, and not even the Commander was going to get in her way.

Finn was just up ahead, calling Raven's name, and Vala shoved past him without the slightest pause. "Stay!" she ordered he and Jasper. "Shoot!" she added over her shoulder, all but throwing herself down the incline in her haste to reach Raven, who was collapsed on the bridge, the red of her jacket like a beacon in the night.

Vala's foot caught on a gnarled root, and she fell, her body hitting the earth with a thud. The world turned upside down as she spun, feeling twigs snap under her weight, and pointed stones scratch at her exposed skin.

Dazed and confused, Vala stared up at the cloudy sky for a long, long second, before remembering where she was and exactly what she needed to do. It took great effort to push herself to her feet. Her shoulder was burning, but she didn't allow herself to look down and survey the damage.

"Raven!" she yelled as loud as she dared. She could already vaguely make out the flickering flames of torches through the trees, and she sped up, pushing herself with everything she had. Raven was curled on the cement of the bridge, and it wasn't that far, but it felt like an eternity until she reached her, sliding into place beside her and wasting no time in heaving her to her feet.

Her shoulder screamed in agonising protest, but she paid it no mind. "Bomb?" she asked Raven in a rushed but eerily calm sort of voice, trying to ignore the war cries of the Trikru as they barrelled through the woods towards them like bats out of the gates of hell. Raven gave a weak nod, and Vala was glad, but more concerned with getting the girl to safety.

There was a small alcove of stone a few metres to the right. It would be a tight squeeze, but they didn't exactly have a plethora of options laid out to choose from.

She shoved the sick girl to the ground, ignoring her grunt of pain. A little bruising was worth her life.

"Jasper!" Vala shouted at the top of her lungs, pleading with him, begging him to take the shot, to save them all. She could hear the shots, the bang of the gun echoing across the ravine.

The drums grew louder, as did the bellowed war cries from the Trikru, sending near unbearable chills down her spine. The flames in the trees grew brighter, closer with every passing breath, and then the first of the warriors broke the tree line, and Vala choked, thinking that all was lost and that this was how she died.

Still, she wasn't about to go down without a fight. She made sure Raven was situated in the alcove, out of sight of the enemy, then stood to her feet, a knife in each hand, feet braced against the earth, crouched in preparation for battle.

Then the world exploded in a booming heat, and she was thrown back with the force of it. Her back collided with a solid ridge of stone, shoulder popping out of place with a flare of blinding agony, but she lifted her arms anyway, keeping herself safe from the fire seeming to brush against her skin.

When the heat finally faded, she was left temporarily deaf and blind, bright spots in her vision while her ears rang with a painful hum. Her entire left side felt like it had been doused in acid rain, and Vala grunted as she forced herself to her feet.

"Raven!" she attempted to say, but could barely hear her own words. The girl in question was curled where she'd left her, and Vala cast a quick look at the opposite side of the ravine, where she could see the Commander's warriors beginning to shout from the tree line, howling for their dead. "Raven! Up!" she shouted, stumbling clumsily to the sick woman's side, using her uninjured arm to force her to her feet.

Still, the weight was too much for her body to handle, and she cried out, dropping the hardly conscious scientist back to the ground. Vala felt a burst of panic. How was she supposed to get them both to safety? Would she be forced to abandon her, leaving another tally etched onto her insides like the worst kind of tattoo?

Thankfully, she didn't need to panic long. Barely a moment later, the boy, Finn, was tripping into her sight, yelling something at her as he hoisted Raven to her feet, arms supporting the bulk of her weight.

She couldn't hear, nor understand, what he was saying, but she figured he'd have to be an idiot for it not to be something about getting the hell out of there. Without hesitation she turned, injured arm cradled gingerly against her body, and ran.

It took them longer to get back than it did to get there, with Vala's arm and Raven's illness, they couldn't move at the same pace as before; they needed breaks. Monty and Jasper didn't seem to mind, murmuring between themselves up ahead, grins on their faces, lot's of shoulder-patting involved.

Raven and Finn came next, the boy they called 'Spacewalker' – a moniker she didn't understand – holding onto the weak woman tightly, an arm braced protectively around her waist, eyes scanning the trees for any hint of a danger that he would never, in a million years, be able to face alone.

Vala brought up the rear. Her entire left side was still burning from the blast, and she was sure she'd done something terrible to her shoulder; every step she took jolted it, the resulting pain like a jagged knife lodged in the soft tissue, insistent and agonising.

They were greeted to loud, triumphant cheers the minute they arrived back at camp. People crowded around Jasper and Monty, celebrating their heroics as they practically preened under the praise. If Vala wasn't in so much pain, she might have smiled.

Kids began to pat her happily on the back, and she stopped breathing, trying not to cry out from the agony of it all. She walked in a daze through the camp, idly wandering over to the water buckets, hoping she could walk off the pain and splash herself in the face to help snap her out of it.

"Vala?"

The Grounder turned, blinking owlishly at Clarke, who was stood at the ramp to the metal cave, an expression of pinched concern spread across her features.

"Come inside," the blonde girl said gently, like she were an easily startled fawn. She was too tired to be bothered by it, though, merely inclining her head and following the healer into the cave.

The inside smelled of Monty's 'Moonshine' and the rusty bite of blood. It was almost alien, she would say – so adapted to the scents of wet earth and rain before a storm, it was like stepping into another world.

"Vala!" a familiar, gruff voice called from the far corner, and she turned as quickly as her arm would allow to see Bellamy gingerly pushing himself to his feet. She nearly complained and told him to stay put, but he was looking far better than he had been when she left, and she knew her words would fall on deaf ears anyway. "What's wrong?" he asked the moment he approached, addressing Clarke rather than her.

It was a little hard to understand, her ears still ringing loudly from the explosion, but she mostly got it.

"I don't know yet," Clarke responded, and Vala wondered what the big deal was. Then Bellamy reached up to prod gently at her brow, and with a start she realised it was furrowed so tightly it was beginning to ache. The pain she was in must have been showing on her face. "Vala, sit here?" Clarke said gently, gesturing to one of the examination tables.

Reluctant but knowing she needed a healer's help, she sat down, cradling her arm tighter to her body, wincing when it flared with mind-numbing pain.

"I need to examine you," she continued softly, hands held up as though to prove she wasn't a threat. Vala wondered what they must think of her, to be so concerned by her potential reaction to things that they practically walked on glass whenever she was around. Was it that she was scary? Did she look like she was about to snap and stab someone in the gut for looking at her the wrong way?

Stubborn, she gave no answer, but Clarke took the silence as one anyway, reaching forwards to prod at her shoulder. Vala had to bite down on her lip in an effort not to cry out in pain. Still, it must have flashed across her face, because suddenly Bellamy was shifting closer to her and snapping at Clarke, "what's wrong? Is it broken?"

The healer shook her head, casting Bellamy a brief look of consideration before turning back to the task at hand. "It's dislocated."

"Can you fix it?" he demanded.

"Yes," she nodded. "But it will be anything but painless."

Bellamy gave a grim sort of smile. "Something tells me Vala can handle it," he told her ruefully, and Clarke nodded again, slowly this time, before pointedly gesturing for Bellamy to get out of her way.

"Stand on this side and hold her steady," she told him in a clipped tone, glancing worriedly over her shoulder when Raven groaned from her place on the hammock. "Vala," she said, _finally_ addressing the Grounder directly. If she weren't in so much pain, she might have found the energy to glare at her for it. "I'm going to pop your shoulder back into place," she said slowly, carefully, ensuring she understood every word. "It's going to hurt, but once it's done, you'll feel better."

Growing frustrated, Vala frowned. "Do, Clarke," she snarled through gritted teeth. Clarke nodded, seeming to need to steel herself before she stepped around to Vala's injured side. One of Bellamy's hands slid from her shoulder down to her hand, where he subtly intertwined their fingers, a tiny but genuine show of support, letting her know he was there. Despite all logic, it actually helped.

"Ready?" Clarke murmured bracingly.

"Clarke," Vala snapped, and then without warning Clarke was shoving against her arm. With a sickening _crack_ her shoulder slipped back into place, accompanied by a nauseating burn that spread through her veins like a poison. Though the Grounder made no sound, she bit down on her tongue until she tasted blood, jaw clicking in place as she worked through the pain in her usual, silent way.

"You okay?" Bellamy's voice was asking in her ear, and she realised she was gripping onto his hand so tightly that her knuckles were turning white, which had to be causing him some discomfort. He said nothing though, gripping back with a reassuring strength that calmed her racing pulse.

She grunted in response, but blatantly refused to let go of his hand. "How does it feel?" Clarke was asking her, her voice like an unpleasant buzzing in the background, only just heard over that incessant ringing. Nothing against Clarke herself, of course – anyone trying to talk to her in her post-dislocation haze was going to get the exact same response; silence. "Better?" she tried cautiously, and reluctantly Vala moved her shoulder in a circle. It was tender and sore, but no longer causing blinding pain.

" _Mochof, Klark,_ " she said, voice rough but sincere.

Clarke sent a look of bemusement to Bellamy. "It means 'thank you' in Grounder," he translated, a smile in his voice, and Clarke shot the savage looking woman a soft smile.

"I'd give you something for the pain, but we're fresh out of morphine," she said wryly, only to receive a blank stare in response. Bellamy chuckled, so Vala figured it must have been a joke of some kind. The blonde picked up a small light next, holding it abruptly up to the Grounder's eyes, making her flinch back at the unexpected stab of pain. "You've got a concussion, but nothing too serious," she added before reaching up to gently prod at the back of her head.

With her mind so filled with hazy fog, it took a few moments for Vala to translate the correct words. "Can be sleep, now?" she asked tiredly, and Clarke's ocean-coloured eyes glinted with sympathy.

"Of course," she nodded, stepping back. "There's a spare hammock over-"

"I've got it, princess," Bellamy's voice said, smooth and sure.

Clarke paused, eyes considering, before she finally conceded. "Okay, but you need to wake her every two hours or so. Make sure she's alert and responsive, get her to drink some water, then she can go back to sleep."

"Got it," Bellamy nodded seriously, a solemn sort of look to his eyes, as though he'd just been tasked with the most important mission known to mankind. Vala blinked up at him sleepily, and he gently prodded her to her feet. "Come on," he murmured, "let's get you into bed."

"Vala," a voice said from the corner, and they both paused, turning to look at a barely-conscious Raven over their shoulders. "You saved my life," the engineer muttered, struggling to focus, but needing to get the words out. Vala stared back, curious. "Thank you," she added sincerely.

Thoughtful, the tired Grounder attempted a weary smile. "Be safe, Raven," she murmured to her kindly, and the sick woman smiled back before burrowing back under her blanket and closing her eyes.

Bellamy pushed gently between her shoulder blades, and she turned, walking out into the fading light of the day, letting him lead her towards his tent. Vala stepped inside, sighing contentedly at the familiar surroundings before making a beeline for the bed. She needed no prompting to crawl onto the makeshift mattress, lying back with a relieved sigh.

"You can't sleep in all that getup," Bellamy rolled his eyes, sitting beside her on the bed and gently pulling her so she was sitting up. He carefully began to unbuckle her leather vest. Under different circumstances it may have been a sensual sort of action, but that was the farthest thing from either of their minds.

Instead it was blessedly tender, his fingers working surely, shedding her armour for her. His fingers brushed her skin, but instead of the usual sparking fire his touch brought, she felt a soothing comfort, like the feeling of his fingers on her skin was calming the storm that so often raged within her.

It was thoroughly strange. Nobody had ever cared enough to help her undress before bed; at least, never in a way that wasn't sexual. Curious, her eyes focused on him, watching as he focused on his task, taking care to avoid jostling her aching shoulder. She'd never been treated with such _care_ before, such _consideration_. It made a warm, bright sort of feeling spread within her chest – like her heart had become her own personal star.

"What's with the look?" Bellamy asked suddenly, jolting her from her swirling thoughts. She looked up to see him smirking down at her, the expression vaguely amused.

She pondered how to say what she felt like needed to be said. "Vala take care of Vala," she finally decided on, and confusion played across his features before suddenly the amusement dropped from his face, replaced by an indescribable softness that made her ache for something she didn't know how to ask for.

"That's because you were alone," he told her in his most gentle voice, a glint to his eyes that made her heart skip a beat. "But you aren't alone anymore."

She peered up at him, and, holding her gaze, he took a seat on the uneven mattress, positioned beside her. She didn't know how to respond to such a bold and heartwarming statement. " _Mochof, Belomi_ ," she told him gently, thinking that there really wasn't anything else she could possibly say.

"Get some sleep," he said softly before beginning to push himself to his feet.

"Stay," she was saying before she could stop herself, and he paused, looking down at her carefully. "Bellamy, stay," she repeated, her voice pleading.

He had work to do, not the least of which to prepare the camp for the coming war. But he looked down into her wide, sincere eyes, and he found himself relenting, thinking that he could spare a minute, however short, for himself. "Just until you fall asleep," he agreed, and though he wasn't sure she exactly understood his words, she smiled. Laying her head down on his pillow, her thick, tangled hair draped across the linen and he thought to himself that he really wasn't sure how it was possible for someone who had been alone for such a long time, lost in a world so harsh and unforgiving, to appear so untouched by the horrors she had faced.

But he supposed that _appear_ was the key word to that sentence.

Vala was staring up at him sleepily, her eyes like the embers of a dying fire, and he felt a tug in his chest, reaching out to brush a lock of hair off her face. She smiled at him, the expression serene and warm, the look fond in a way nobody had ever given him, and he was so overcome that he couldn't even smile back, just staring at her, wondering how it was _possible_ for her to even exist.

Then her eyes slipped shut, and she caught his hand from where it had moved to caress her face, threading their fingers together. She sighed into his pillow, breathing slowly evening out, as silent as ever, while he could do nothing but stare, baring witness to the untamable Grounder letting her guard down for once, a look of peace replacing her usually guarded expression.

"Bellamy!" a voice called from outside his tent, and he remembered with a start that he had responsibilities, he had people counting on him, a _war_ to prepare for, and as much as he'd have loved to sit next to a slumbering Vala, listen to her soft breaths and trace the scars on her face with an unapologetic reverence that surprised him, he needed to get going.

"Coming!" he called back, voice gravelly even to his own ears. With a final, reluctant sigh, he leaned down brushing his lips against her forehead in a move that mirrored what she had done for him mere hours ago, a memory that was hazy with illness, but still real all the same.

He disentangled their hands, steeled his expression into one of cool indifference, and stepped out into the night, knowing it would only be two hours until he had to go back and wake her up, just to make sure she was alright. And despite the morbid nature of that knowledge, he still found himself counting down the minutes.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you liked the chapter – be sure to let me know your thoughts!**

 **Side note: anyone watch 'Lucifer'? I just watched both seasons in two days, and can safely say I am obsessed. Would love to chat about it with someone! Love you all!**


	17. Perfectly Reckless

_You are the only one_

 _The only that sees me_

 _That trusts me and believes me_

 _You are the only one_

 _The only one that knows me_

 _And in the dark you show me_

 _It's perfectly reckless_

 _Damn you leave me defenceless_

 _So break in_

Break In – Halestorm

* * *

When Vala woke up, Bellamy wasn't there. She wasn't sure why she'd been thinking he might have been. He was Commander of the Skaikru, he had more important things to do than babysit her – not that she _needed_ babysitting, though the thought of _any_ extra time with Bellamy was enough to make her smile.

The day before had been long and tiring, and her shoulder was still aching like a bitch. Pulling herself up and pushing off the blanket Bellamy had draped over her body, Vala stood to her feet, taking a few minutes to run through some stretches, both waking herself up and exercising her sore muscles. Her shoulder still burned with movement, but at least she _could_ move it, so she wasn't too worried.

Her mouth was dry, she needed water – and something to eat, considering how her stomach grumbled loudly. She picked up her usual armour, laid on a table in the corner of the tent, strapping it on over her underclothes, then slipping her feet into the boots Bellamy had gifted her.

The camp was a flurry of activity when she stepped outside, and she got a vague call of greeting from a group of delinquents when they passed, but otherwise her appearance went unnoticed.

Wandering over to the food stores where a girl she knew to be called Harper was working, she paused in the doorway, waiting to be noticed. "Hey Vala," the kind girl said, a small smile on her face, not completely sincere, but Vala knew the kind of stress they were under, waiting for the Trikru to attack. "Hungry?" she asked lightly, one hand gripping her gun tightly.

Vala nodded her head, eyeing the selection.

"We've got a bit of boar left," she told the Grounder, picking up two sticks of slightly charred meat before handing them over.

Straining her memory for the correct words that Bellamy had taught her the day before, Vala muttered unsurely, "thank?" Harper gave her a slightly more genuine smile.

"You're welcome," she said gently, before there was a shout from the other side of camp, and she snapped back into action, on guard, gun gripped in ready hands. Deciding that was her cue, Vala turned and headed for the small fire going in the centre of camp. Most people were already hard at work, so the logs around it were empty. She took a seat, soaking up the warmth of the flames and munching on her food.

She sat in quiet for a good while, content to watch the kids rush around camp, fortifying the wall and checking over supplies, idly wondering what she could do to help.

"Vala!" her name was called from across camp, bringing her from her thoughts, and she turned to face the owner, spying Clarke heading towards her. She didn't move, waiting until Clarke took a seat beside her, a kind expression on her face. "Morning," she said gently. "How're you feeling?"

Vala blinked back blankly.

"Your shoulder," she added with a nod at her injured shoulder. "Does it still hurt?"

Rolling the limb again slowly, Vala shook her head. "Pain be good," she said decisively. Pain meant you were alive, it meant you could keep fighting.

"Mind if I check it anyway?"

Unbothered, Vala shifted closer, allowing the healer to rotate the shoulder back and forth, checking it didn't hurt too much to do so.

"How's your head?" she continued once she was satisfied, cautiously reaching up to prod at the tender spot at the back of her skull. Vala winced imperceptibly, but the healer still noticed. "Sore?" Reluctantly the Grounder nodded. "Well, I'd suggest you rest for the day, but something tells me you're not going to listen to me anyway."

"I fight," she said immediately, and Clarke smirked.

"Thought so," she murmured amusedly. Her expression dropped suddenly, changing into one of thoughtful contemplation. "I know you don't know much, but do you think you could answer some questions about the Grounders for us? We need as much intel as we can get."

Pausing, Vala considered this before nodding slowly.

"Great," she said evenly. "Come on, Bellamy and Miller are going over plans in the main tent."

She stood to her feet, and Vala followed suit, throwing the now-bare sticks into the crackling fire. The leader and his right-hand-man were positioned around a table, where one of Vala's crudely drawn maps was spread out. They were staring down at it like it might somehow provide answers.

"Vala," Bellamy greeted her, looking up from the maps abruptly when he realised who had walked through the door. "Sleep well?" he asked quietly as she moved to his side, stopping a few inches away and peering down at her map with pursed lips. His hand brushed the small of her back, fingers brushing a sliver of exposed skin, and she grit her teeth to keep herself from reacting.

"Sleep be okay," she murmured, bracing her hands on the unstable table and considering her words. "What ask Vala?" she prompted them, glancing up at Miller with a small smile of greeting, realising she hadn't yet acknowledged him. He nodded back at her cordially.

"You're our only resource," Bellamy began, suddenly all business, hand moving back to it's place on the table. Vala opened her mouth to disagree, but he continued on. "I know you were banished when you were young, and you aren't up to date with their strategies and tactics, but you must know _something_ that can help us."

Vala thought long and hard, gathering what little she knew and trying to piece it together in the language of the enemy.

"Trikru be smart," she began, only to be interrupted by Miller.

"Trikru?" he asked, a frown on his face.

Pausing, Vala tapped herself on the chest. "Trikru," she repeated uselessly, then huffed. "Mean Grounder," she finally muttered, and his eyebrows raised.

"That's what you call yourselves?"

"Trikru be clan. Be many clan on ground."

He didn't seem to know what to do with this information. He merely nodded slowly, and she figured that meant she could get back to her job.

"Trikru smart," she began again. "Fast. Be kill, no wait."

"No wait..." Bellamy repeated, brow furrowed in thought. "You mean without hesitation?"

Miller stared at him like he were from another planet. " _How_ do you do that?" he asked in bemusement.

"Not the time, Miller," their leader rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Go on, Vala."

"Trikru send warrior," she said slowly, eyes on the map, tracing the boundary line that marked Trikru territory. "Warrior wait. Watch. Trap."

"Where will they come from, now that the bridge is gone?" he continued, gaze focused on the map again. Vala leaned forwards, scanning her hastily marked mountains and ridges. "Will they come over Mount Weather?" he prompted when she said nothing.

She froze, a sort of gasp catching in her throat, and the others looked surprised by the reaction.

"No," she forced herself to say, trying not to shiver at the mere thought. "Mountain Men."

"Mountain men?" Clarke repeated, and Vala nearly flinched, having forgotten she was there. "That's what Octavia warned us about." Vala remained silent, trying not to think of deep tunnels and bullets bouncing off rock and smoke that sank into lungs like a poison, choking them until they couldn't breathe, fighting for her life as she tore away from monsters in plastic shells.

"Vala, who are the Mountain Men?" Bellamy was the one to ask, his voice soft but insistent, aware of her uneasiness but determined to get answers.

"Bad men," she told him in a whisper, voice weak from the weight of memories she'd long since tried to forget.

"Who _are_ they?" he pressed, obstinate.

"Be men guns. Bad. Be death cloud," she muttered, frustrated that she couldn't find the words. "Be in danger."

"I don't think she _actually_ _knows_ anything, Bellamy," Miller sounded almost exhausted with her, and she turned to unleash the full force of her glare onto him, making him grimace as he looked away.

"I try," she snapped at him, and she felt the weight of Bellamy's hand settle onto her shoulder.

"It's okay," he said, voice gruff but at the same time soothing, and she took a deep breath to steady herself. "Miller, cool it," he added in a biting voice at his second.

"Vala, do you actually know _who_ the Mountain Men are?" Clarke spoke up before a tense silence could brew.

Considering this, Vala shook her head. She didn't know _who_ they were, only that they came from the mountain, and that they brought nothing but death and destruction. She spent just as much time avoiding them as she did the Trikru.

"Okay, we can worry about these 'Mountain Men' later," Bellamy said, commanding. "Let's get back on task. Where are they going to come from, Vala?"

She focused back on the map, considering the question carefully. "Come by gorge," she said slowly, her words measured. "Then round you," she added, tracing a finger in a circle around the markings that represented their camp. "No ec-scape," she finished grimly.

"Then how do we survive?" Bellamy asked, sounding vaguely impatient, though she knew he was just under a lot of pressure.

"Be smart," she said with conviction.

"Be smart _how_?"

Thinking carefully, she frowned down at the map, scrambling for a solution, some kind of answer that would save them all. There was one option, one she knew would save them from the Trikru, but one she knew without saying that Bellamy would reject.

They could run. If they left now, they'd have a head start, maybe they could get some ground between them, enough that the Commander would give up, and they'd be left to their own devices. But really, where would they go? The Ice Nation wouldn't take them, and crossing the Great Desert wouldn't be an easy feat. And from there, where? Across the ocean? Vala couldn't keep them safe in terrain she knew nothing about.

No, they were staying and they were fighting, and maybe, once the dust had settled, they would find some semblance of peace. Maybe she would even finally find a proper home, with Bellamy; that was the only way she could imagine ever finding one now – with him.

Her mind strayed to her training. She was young at the time, and many, many years had passed since those days, but some things stuck with her, even after all that time.

"Start by under," she finally said, straightening her spine as though the Commander was going to be there to smack her if her posture wasn't absolutely perfect. The Sky People sent her blank looks. "Under earth," she said, trying to mime out what she was attempting to say.

"Create tunnels?" surprisingly Miller was the first to understand, and she felt more than saw Bellamy light up.

"Yeah," he was nodding instantly. "Tunnels out of camp. With any luck we can work our way around those sons of bitches and attack while their backs are turned."

"They'll also work as escape routes," Clarke mentioned wisely, but Bellamy only nodded distractedly. He opened his mouth to say more when somebody burst into the tent, a girl with frizzy hair and a scowling face.

"Biggs overcooked the last of the ham," she told them with a grunt. "It's inedible."

Vala grew distracted, pulling out her small knife and then the small sharpening stick she'd gotten years back, trading an animal pelt for it in the dead of winter over in Azgeda. Absentmindedly, she rocked back on her heels and began to sharpen, idly keeping one ear on the conversation happening before her.

"We need to hunt _again_?" Bellamy sighed, reaching up to wipe at his face. "Alright, I'll take a team out."

"Bellamy, we need you here," Clarke interrupted quickly, and he turned to frown at her. "Let Miller take a team out, he can handle it."

Bellamy looked extremely adverse to this idea. "She's right," Miller jumped in convincingly. "You're of more use here."

Bellamy thought for a moment, then narrowed his eyes at Miller contemplatively. "Alright, don't go too far, and be back well before dark."

"And take Vala with you," Clarke added, and the Grounder looked up from the map with wide eyes.

"What? Clarke, she's still healing-" Bellamy attempted to argue.

"Yes, she could do with some rest," Clarke allowed, "but she's mostly fine, and we _need_ more food. She's been hunting since she could walk. It's the right move, Bellamy."

The leader ran another hand down his face. "Okay," he nodded, then narrowed his eyes at Miller. "You keep an eye on her," he ordered firmly.

Miller's eyes flicked over to the wild Grounder girl, who was leant against the table, lazily sharpening her knife with deft, able fingers, the sound of stone running against metal making their spines tingle unpleasantly. "Something tells me she can look after herself," Miller said dryly, and though he wanted to argue, Bellamy couldn't help but agree.

"Pick a team, no more than five, and move out," he commanded, and Miller gave an obedient nod, turning and striding from the tent, taking the scowling girl with him. He waited until it was just them and Clarke before speaking again. "You're _sure_ you're feeling up to this?" he asked her quietly, eyes raking over her form, as though he might find some proof she wasn't.

Looking up from her menial but calming task, Vala shrugged, hoping her wince of pain wasn't too obvious. "Horse be healthy," she said, recalling Octavia having said something similar a few days prior.

Bellamy was grinning, the expression soft and open in a way of which Clarke hadn't known he'd been capable. "It's 'healthy as a horse'," he corrected her fondly. "Once this whole _war_ thing blows over, we'll work on your English," he said the word with a hint of disdain, but it was lost on Vala, who only picked up the basics and beamed at him brightly.

"Thank Bellamy," she said brightly, proud to be using the right word, and this time even Clarke smiled.

Bellamy turned to the healer, who was watching the exchange with interest. "You're _positive_ she'll be okay?" he asked, remembering the pain she'd been in only hours previous.

"The concussion's mostly gone and it was only a dislocated shoulder," Clarke told him surely, casting the Grounder a side glance. "Besides, by the look of those scars, I'd say she's been through a _hell_ of a lotworse."

Bellamy couldn't exactly argue with that. "Go now?" Vala asked with a hint of impatience, interrupting the pair. She was keen to get going, finally be of some use to them. Sitting around camp with nothing to do made her feel useless, like inconvenient baggage for them to carry. They turned to look at her, seeing her staff thrown over the shoulder that hadn't been injured.

"Yeah," Bellamy nodded, letting out a soft but reluctant sigh. "Be safe."

In a move that surprised both Bellamy and Clarke, Vala pushed herself up onto her toes so the leader's forehead was pressed against hers in a move so strangely intimate that Clarke felt like she was intruding by watching, quickly averting her gaze. " _Leidon, Belomi_ ," Vala whispered to him tenderly, and had to suppress a shudder as he stared back at her in silent surprise, wondering how the hell he was supposed to respond, but the moment was over before he could come up with something, and she was pulling back with a wide smile.

With a nod and grin at Clarke, she all but danced from the room, disappearing out the door and into the bustling camp.

Clarke smirked at Bellamy slyly, and he cleared his throat, adjusting his jacket and turning back to the map with a muttered, "shut up, Clarke."

Miller was waiting by the gates with Jasper, Finn, a boy she didn't know and the girl from the food stores that morning – Harper. They all held guns in their hands, and Vala frowned at the sight.

"Gun loud," she said in disapproval rather than greet them, but she didn't stop to consider this was rude.

"What, you'd rather us use knives like some kind of primitive savages?" asked the boy she didn't know, an ugly sneer on his face that reminded her of Murphy. She didn't understand the insult, but knew without a doubt that it was one.

"Gun loud, scare food," she said slowly, mostly because she thought he was a complete idiot. Harper snickered into her shoulder, and the boy glared at her darkly.

"Cram it, Antony," Jasper said, stepping closer to Vala and tossing a companionable arm over her shoulders. The Grounder tried not to flinch as it caused pain to ripple down her left side. "Grounder Girl could wipe the floor with you any day," he added impishly.

Antony gave another sneer before turning and stalking into the forest, his footsteps loud and obtrusive to their task. Bother Jasper and Harper shot her identical friendly eye rolls, like they were sharing a joke with her, and she beamed back at them happily.

Finn walked up ahead, keeping his eyes on the ground for any sign of tracks. Vala did the same from where she hung at the back with Jasper and Harper. "So how old are you, anyway, Vala?" Jasper asked, gun held in careful hands, eyes scanning the trees, and Vala got the feeling he was on the lookout for Trikru more than he was for actual prey.

Vala cast him a bewildered look, eyebrows raised to her hairline.

"Because you're small enough to be our age or younger, but you seem way older, not to mention the whole leather getup leads me to believe you're at _least_ old enough to drink," he babbled. "Wait, are there even drinking laws down here? I guess there aren't, right?"

"Jasper," Harper said with another roll of her eyes, but this time it was inexplicably fond. "Shut up."

"Twenty-two," Vala answered, mimicking the way Bellamy had said it when he too had asked her age.

" _Really_?" Jasper sounded fascinated, his voice loud.

" _Sh_!" Miller hissed from up the front, and Jasper made a face at the back of his head.

"So you were alone for a long time, right?" Harper spoke up next, but kept her voice to a whisper so she didn't interfere with the hunt. "Someone at camp said it'd been fifteen _years_."

"No," Vala murmured, knife slipping from it's sheath so she could twirl it around her fingers, a habit she'd picked up over the years, something to keep her hands busy while she walked. Because that was what life consisted of for her; a hell of a lot of walking. "Be ten _en_ two."

"Twelve years, huh?" Jasper murmured thoughtfully, and then in a too-casual voice, "do you have a boyfriend?"

" _Jasper_!" Harper hissed, and again Miller shushed them from up ahead. "You can't just ask her that," Harper continued, outraged.

"What?" Jasper sounded bewildered. "Why not?"

"It's impolite."

"I doubt she cares about being _polite_. She grew up in the forest, Harper. She was _literally_ raised by _wolves._ "

Vala was completely and utterly lost, no idea what was happening. Harper hissed back another argument, and she elected to leave them to their discussion, speeding up so she was in step with Miller, whose hands were curled protectively around his weapon.

Miller was content to walk in silence, which was fine with her, and she continued to toy idly with her knife as they continued through the forest, heading further and further away from the camp.

Finally, about an hour later, Finn held up a hand and everyone came to an abrupt stop, freezing in place as the one they called 'Spacewalker' knelt down to assess something in the soil. "Vala," Finn whispered almost silently, waving her forwards. She chose her steps carefully, avoiding anything that would make noise as she moved towards the kneeling tracker. "Look promising to you?" he said softly, and she peered down at the tracks in the dirt, taking note of their width and depth.

"Be good," she whispered back, attention already on the trees. "Be way," she added, pointing towards the north, where she knew the prey to be heading. "Stay hush," she finished, and Finn made a gesture to the rest of the party that was lost on her.

It only took a few short minutes to locate the _pumae_ , and thankfully it was distracted, creeping up behind a wild boar that was snuffling loudly at the dirt. Vala slipped her knife from it's sheath, the sound gentle in the clearing, and thankfully going unnoticed by the animals.

All was well as she crept forwards, preparing to slice it's neck open in the most humane way she knew how. Then Jasper sneezed.

Both the boar and the panther lurched, then dashed in opposite directions. For a beat Vala contemplated running after it, but realistically she didn't have a hope of catching it, and she wasn't about to leave the group of Sky People without her protection.

"Dammit Jasper!" the boy she didn't know – Antony, she remembered vaguely – snapped irritably, and Vala frowned in their direction.

"I'm _sorry_ ," Jasper exclaimed, voice laced with bitter sarcasm, "that I can't control when I do and don't _sneeze_!"

Antony responded with something scathing, but it was a word Vala didn't know. It made Miller and Harper blink at the boy in shock, and Finn give a grimace of disdain, so she knew it couldn't have been very nice.

"Come on," Miller interjected before things could escalate, gun pressed to his chest as his eyes scanned the trees. "Let's keep moving," he grunted with a note of finality. Jasper and Antony exchanged sneers, but they continued on without another word. "Vala," Miller said a few moments later, once they all began to head in the vague direction the boar had taken off in. "You take point."

Confused, Vala blinked back uncomprehendingly.

"It means he wants you up front," Harper reworded it, and Vala was grateful, nodding her head and speeding up so she would be in the lead.

Things were quiet again for another long stretch. Finn kept his eyes on the dirt, searching for tracks, and Vala watched the trees, on alert just on the off chance something happened. It had to have been at least an hour later that she felt a familiar prickle at the back of her neck, prompted by the weight of unseen eyes on her skin.

She tensed, muscles coiled and ready as she gripped her knife tighter, knuckles white from where they were curled around the hilt.

Miller spoke up suddenly, and Vala glanced over her shoulder as he fell into step beside her, noting the carefully blank expression on his face. "Do you get the feeling we're being watched?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper, his stony face angled into the trees, eyes narrowed like it might help him spot the culprit.

Vala knew better. If Trikru didn't want to be seen, they wouldn't be seen; it was as simple as that.

"Grounder eyes be on we," she confirmed just as quietly, her empty hand reaching down to unsheathe a second weapon, two daggers now held in an unflinching grip.

"Where?" Miller asked, gun aimed into the shadows.

Vala only lifted her shoulders in response, biting down on her tongue at the painful ache that ran through her still-healing side at the movement.

"Guys," Miller called, as quiet as he could while still being heard by the group. "Be ready."

"For what?" Antony grumbled moodily, but Miller had no patience for the attitude, making a hissing sound at the same moment a twig snapped from somewhere to their right. Instantly the group was on edge, guns held up in slightly-shaky hands, breaths quickening with hidden terror.

Everyone was looking out into the trees, but nobody was looking up – except Vala.

"No!" she yelled immediately, not knowing what other English word to possibly use. They all flinched at the sound, not understanding until a beat later, when three Grounders dropped from the trees with all the grace of the panther that had escaped their grasp.

The delinquents began to fire their weapons, but they were in a part of the woods with a thick canopy, the space between them shadowed and hazy, and the Grounders were smart enough to not only keep moving, but to approach before the guns could be of any use.

Vala heard shouts from all around, and she immediately leapt into an attack.

The tallest warrior was closest to her, and she threw herself at him first. He was distracted with Miller, who was on the ground, gun having been ripped from his hands when he was busy. She managed to land a rough punch to the head that dazed him, then while he was trying to blink away the haze, she thrust her knee into his gut, and he sank to the ground with a hiss.

Two arms wrapped around her from behind, yanking her away before she could finish the job. Her shoulder burned at the rough handling, but she couldn't spare the time to focus on it, throwing her weight around violently in an attempt to escape the warrior's hold.

More gunshots filled the small clearing, and one of the three Grounders let out a wet gurgle before dropping to the dirt, lifeless. Vala used the distraction to drop to her knees, ducking from her captor's hold and spinning. Without hesitation the blade of her knife sank into the unprotected flesh of the Grounder's thigh.

He didn't cry out in pain – they were taught not to from the time they could speak – but he grunted, reaching down to grasp her by the hair. He wasn't counting on the weapon in her second hand, so she allowed him to yank her up so they were at the same level, before bringing her dagger to his throat, pressing it into his jugular then slicing, completely tearing out his throat. He dropped to the ground, but took a few long seconds to finally die.

Death was so without dignity, she thought brazenly, but was jolted from her thoughts by a final gunshot, this one from a gasping Miller, sprawled on the ground with a bleeding head but somehow managing to sink a bullet directly into the remaining Grounder's skull.

Finally, all three assailants were motionlessly in the dirt, pools of glistening blood gathering around their limp, lifeless bodies. The only sound in the clearing the heavy panting of the Skaikru, all of them seeming to be in varying states of shock over the attack.

"You be okay?" Vala asked them, the only one not desperately trying to regain her breath or steady her heartbeat. They stared up at her in pure bewilderment, taking in her calm expression and wary eyes, watching them cautiously.

"We need to get back to camp," Miller said suddenly, his words rushed. " _Now_."

Then everyone was scrambling to their feet, and with a shrug Vala leaned over, tearing both her precious blades free of the dead warrior's flesh, casually wiping the blood off on the material of her pants before slipping them back into their respective sheaths.

She paused before leaving, and Antony made an irritated, impatient noise from where the group was now waiting for her by the tree line. She didn't care, taking the time to walk to each of the bodies, gently closing their lifeless, unseeing eyes with her fingertips, murmuring a sincere, " _yu gonplei ste odon_."

She felt inexplicably guilty. These men were only following orders; they'd followed the Commander's orders _to their deaths._ If she were the Commander of the twelve clans (which she knew all too well that she wasn't, and never _would_ be), she would take this as a further act of war. Who _knew_ what she would do in retaliation? All Vala knew was that there would be no mercy, and if there was ever a time to resolutely pick a side, this was it.

"You done yet?" Antony snapped from across the clearing, an anxious, irritated look on his face as he eyed the trees suspiciously, like he thought there were more warriors hidden, waiting for a chance to strike. Vala murmured the last of her respects to the final of the fallen, the one she herself had killed. "They're just mindless savages, they're not worth our-"

Antony's stupid voice was cut off with a gasp as a dagger imbedded itself up to it's hilt in the trunk of the tree, mere inches from his face. Horrified, he looked between the still quivering blade and it's thrower with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"What the _fuck_?!" he demanded furiously, stomping forwards, gun gripped precariously in shaking hands. "Who the hell do you think you are?! Just because you're fucking Bellamy, it doesn't mean you get to-"

He reached her, and she shoved against him, pushing him back into the tree where her knife still shook against the wood. "They be _human_!" she snarled in his face, infuriated by his nerve. They were of a different people, yes, but they were the same _species._ Who could ever be so cold as to not care that they'd taken a _life?_

The dead may have lacked dignity, but that only meant they deserved all the more respect.

"We don't have time for this," Miller snapped, stepping between them before either could do something stupid, like throw a punch – or worse. "We need to get back to camp."

Antony sneered at Vala a final time.

"Antony, you're on point," Miller added, grasping his lapels and giving him a shove in the direction they'd come from. The boy went reluctantly, tossing Vala a lethal look over his shoulder that went completely ignored. "You too, Spacewalker," he added briefly, and Finn nodded once sharply.

One by one, everyone turned and followed his lead, Miller and Vala bringing up the rear. She grasped onto the hilt of her dagger, wiggling it until it slid from the wood, and she shoved it back into it's sheath, continuing on her way.

The silence lasted a long few minutes, and she was genuinely surprised when Miller was the first to break it. "Antony was out of line," he murmured to her quietly, not to be overheard by the others, all of whom still looked incredibly shaken from their encounter with the Grounders. Their pace had picked up, now practically jogging through the trees towards camp, fingers on triggers, ready and waiting. "He shouldn't have said those things about those Grounders. I get that they deserved as much respect as anyone, in the end."

Vala was pretty sure she understood, and she nodded slowly. "Thank," she told him sincerely, voice just as soft.

"It's 'thank _you_ '," he corrected her, not quite smiling, but not scowling either.

"Thank _you_ ," she parroted, and he nodded.

There was a beat. "Thanks for saving me back there," he said, the expression on his face pained, like saying as much was a great difficulty. "I...froze," he admitted with a sharp, reluctant exhale. "Guess it proves I'm kind of useless without a gun, huh?"

Vala wasn't sure how to respond, so she didn't, staring ahead, keeping her senses locked on their surroundings. Another attack was highly unlikely, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

"I didn't trust you," Miller was still speaking, and she looked over at him curiously. "A lot of people at camp don't. There's _talk._..talk that Bellamy is making a bad call, keeping you around. I guess I didn't really see your value. But, that's changed."

It was all said very quickly, and from what little she could glean, it seemed to be some kind of longwinded apology. "No understand," she admitted, trying not to sound too frustrated.

"I guess what I'm saying is that I get it now," he said, reaching up to tug at his ear uncomfortably. "You saved me so I owe you."

"No owe," she said immediately, considering carefully how to reply. "Be friend?" she offered, voice hesitant and a little shy, and the boy shot her an assessing sort of look before a tiny smile lifted at the edges of his mouth.

"Yeah," he agreed with a solemn nod. "We're friends."

They managed to come across a small herd of rabbits, and those with guns let fire, killing as many as possible. Miller said the waste of ammo wasn't preferable, but that, then again, neither was starving to death. Antony was tasked with carrying them all back to camp, and it was a fairly heavy load, so she was content to watch him grumble about it bitterly and struggle under the weight as they headed towards camp.

"Hunting party's back!" a female voice shouted from the gate as they approached, and a beat later the doors were opening, revealing a small group of delinquents, mostly friends of those in the party.

"What happened?" Bellamy's voice spoke over the chatter, and Vala gravitated towards him without thought. His eyes raked over her and Miller's forms, taking in the blood staining their skin, far more than a routine hunting trip would warrant.

"Bring buns," Vala told him in case he'd somehow missed the hoard of rabbits slung over a scowling Antony's shoulders.

"You two – tent, now," Bellamy ordered, jabbing fingers at both her and Miller.

With wary looks, they followed him into the tent in which they kept the weapons and the maps, where Clarke was sitting and writing something down on a scrap of spare parchment.

"Hey, you're back early," the blonde healer commented, abandoning her task, standing to her feet and also giving them a once over, taking in their bloodstained skin. "What happened?" she asked in the same tone Bellamy had used, and Vala wondered how they were both so observant.

"Ran into some Grounders," Miller explained, and both leaders' faces dropped into something like horror. "We took care of them...clearly," he added, casting a side glance at Vala, whose skin was more red than white at this point. When she'd slit that warrior's throat, his blood had spilled over her in torrents, but she barely seemed to have noticed.

"Where? How many?" Bellamy demanded, voice like thunder.

"About ten miles north," Miller responded obediently. "There were only three. They got in a few good hits, but we all got out okay, thanks to the guns...and Grounder girl," he added, almost reluctantly, and even Bellamy looked surprised by the brief acknowledgement.

"What were they doing there?" he asked, directing the question more to Vala, as it was unlikely that Miller had a clue.

"Sc-scow-its..." she tried to pronounce, and Bellamy looked confused for all of three seconds before nodding.

"Scouts," he said with a sigh, reaching up to rub at his forehead like he were trying to ease an oncoming headache. "Will there be more?"

Vala shrugged her shoulders, barely hiding her wince of pain. "War be soon," she said simply, "more come then." The reminder of the oncoming battle seemed to make the tension in the tent spike, the Sky People exchanging weary, weighted looks.

"Did you at least get more food?" Clarke was the first to break the silence.

"Just a handful of rabbits," Miller said with a sigh. "After the attack, we thought it was best not to keep going."

"Good call," Bellamy confirmed, clapping his Second on the back. "I'm sure half the camp already knows, but do you think you could keep the talk from getting out of hand? We don't want people panicking."

"You got it," Miller nodded to both Vala and Clarke before turning and heading from the tent as ordered.

"Are you okay?" Clarke asked once he was gone, stepping closer and slowly reaching for her still-healing arm. "I'm sure a fight wouldn't have helped your shoulder." Vala said nothing, staring back but allowing her to gently move the appendage back and forth, rotating her joints and trying not to show how much it burned. "Does it hurt?" she asked quietly, wriggling her fingers under her armour then prodding at the skin, probably checking for swelling.

Vala resolutely shook her head, but she could see it in Clarke's eyes that the healer didn't believe her.

"You should go wash all that blood off," she murmured once she was done. "And try to be gentle with the arm?" she added. "No knife throwing or sparring, okay?"

Reluctant though understanding, Vala agreed with a grumble and a nod. Clarke looked pleased by the response. There was a loud shout from outside the tent, then a whole lot of laughter, accompanied by more yelling, and with a roll of her eyes, Clarke went out to deal with it.

Unsure what to do next, Vala stood for a only a moment before Bellamy had a hand to the small of her back, gently guiding her from the map-tent and out into the sun. She winced at the brightness in her eyes, but only a moment later they were stepping inside Bellamy's personal tent. It gave her a sense of comfort, seeing the familiar sloping material of fabric walls and the lumpy but somehow still luxurious bed shoved into the corner.

"Here," he says quietly, leading her further into the room. She came to a stop by the bed, curious as she turned to look at him. He said nothing, but his hands were already moving, drifting around her body to begin unlatching the buckles of her armour. His fingers were sure and his movements smooth, even though he couldn't see what he was doing.

She supposed this was becoming somewhat of a tradition between them.

Vala watched him, trailing her eyes over his expression with interest, watching as it remained carefully blank. Her leather vest slipped from her arms, and he pulled it gently off her, laying it on the small table at the end of his bed. She was tired and sore, but still painfully aware of their close proximity. She could practically feel the heat emanating from his russet skin, and she wondered whether she would feel hot too if she slipped her fingers under his shirt and ran them over the hard plains of his stomach.

The thought made a flare of familiar heat curl in her gut, so she looked away from him before she did something stupid.

There was a small bucket on the side table, full of room temperature water, and Bellamy reached inside, pulling out a small piece of cloth and ringing out the excess water before slowly approaching her again, like she would be easily startled if he moved too quickly.

She watched him carefully, assessing as he moved closer, slowly reaching out with the cloth until it was touching her bloodstained arm. He began to mop at the flaky blood from her skin, wiping it away with sure, gentle movements. The ministrations were relaxing, making her feel safe and warm, and for a brief second she wondered whether this was what it was like to have somebody truly take care of you. She'd been alone for so long now, she'd forgotten what it was like.

The thought, tinged with a sort of saddened acceptance, was wiped from her mind as Bellamy stepped closer, the proximity making her own skin buzz with awareness. The gentle drag of the damp cloth over her skin was soothing, counteracting the way her nerves seemed to come ablaze at the contact between her and the Sky Boy.

She kept her eyes from his face, instead staring down at where their skin contrasted so starkly against one another. His was freckled, smooth and olive in colour, while hers was a soft, slightly pale sort of tan, the expanses marred by ugly, jagged scars.

She wondered how he even felt comfortable running his perfect skin over the unattractive mess that was hers, but she wasn't about to complain, so she just stared down at the contrast with an intensity that surprised even herself.

It wasn't until the blood was completely cleaned from her skin that she felt Bellamy grasp at the tip of her chin, gently dragging her face upwards, so he could look her in the eye. "Are you alright?" he asked, voice clear but heavy with some emotion she couldn't name.

"I okay," she said, blinking back at him. It had only been three of them, and yes, she had taken life today – but she'd done _much_ worse to survive in the past. She really was okay, she assured herself.

Bellamy was staring back at her with ardour, the strength of the expression leaving her breathless. She wondered what could possibly be going on in his head to set his eyes so ablaze, and briefly longed to drown herself in the sea of his mind, if it meant she might understand the Sky Boy just that little bit better.

"Tired?" he asked quietly, and it didn't escape her notice that his fingers were still curled delicately around her chin.

Considering, Vala's eyes slid over to the door, where she could see the light of the dying day trickle through the flap of material. It was still early, and she still felt alive with energy, and the last thing she wanted to do was lay still in bed, nothing but her memories to keep her occupied.

"No."

"Yeah," Bellamy agreed softly. "Me either."

They stood in silence for a long few moments, listening to the sounds of the delinquents rustling around camp, calling out to each other loudly, girls squealing at something or other, boys laughing uproariously for the same reason. It was peaceful in an unexpected way, and Vala found herself sagging despite her earlier words, curling into Bellamy like he was her own personal patch of sun.

He didn't move for a long moment, and the silence in the tent stretched on, but Vala barely noticed, breathing in Bellamy's scent – sweat, earth, and something like the smoke of a raging fire – until eventually his arms came up to curl around her, bringing her closer to his chest, his chin dipping until it rested lightly on the crown of her head.

Vala felt safe in a way she could never remember feeling before, and suddenly her reassurances to herself before seemed frail. She'd killed someone today. Maybe it wasn't for the first time, and maybe it had been life-or-death, but it was still an atrocity, and she still felt her eyes sting in belated reaction.

Grateful Bellamy couldn't spot the wetness of her eyes, she tucked herself tighter into his hold, gripping him like he anchored her to the ground, and he gripped back like she was all that was keeping him centred. Together they listened to the sounds of the delinquents in the camp, all so full of life and energy, all so foolishly ignorant to the war waiting for them in the light of coming days.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you liked this chapter! I love nothing more than hearing from you, and I'd be so happy if you sent me a message or reviewed and told me your thoughts! I love each and every one of you - don't be a stranger! xx**


	18. We Can Fade

**A/N: Just so you guys know, there's incredibly explicit content towards the end of this chapter. But I guess you guys wanted it M, so hopefully you won't hate me for it. Love you!**

 _Flashback when we both wore halos_

 _You were my cure and I was your dark angel_

 _Fires are meant to burn us_

 _Fights are meant to warn us_

 _We could lose it all if we don't reignite this_

 _When the dark tries swallowing our light_

 _We can fade or try to make this right_

 _'Cause when we touch baby no one can deny_

Sparks Fly – Hey Violet

LINEBREAK

"Smokehouse."

"Smok-how-sey," Vala attempted to repeat, frowning in concentration as she spoke, mind only half on her task as she assisted Octavia in hanging up slabs of fresh meat.

"You're getting better," Octavia assured her quietly, and Vala couldn't help but think that she really hadn't been herself lately. "Maybe you could teach me some Grounder," she added with something of a rueful smirk.

"Trigedasleng," she corrected the Sky Girl with a matching smirk, glancing over at her in the light of the crackling fire and the sun filtering through the wooden slabs making up the smokehouse. "Call Trigedasleng."

"Trigedasleng," Octavia mimicked. "That's one word down," she added, casting Vala a microscopic sort of smile that had the Grounder hoping she'd be back to her old self soon enough. They were still sparring every day, but the usual fire was gone from Octavia's eyes, and though Vala didn't understand why, she didn't treat her any differently, assuming she was just scared of the upcoming battle. "Is it going to be hard?" the girl asked softly, eyes on her menial task.

"Hard?" Vala parroted uncomprehendingly.

"Fighting against your own people," Octavia murmured, a frown tugging at her delicate brow.

Vala mirrored the frown, hooking another cut of meat up onto the makeshift hook. "No people," she said matter-of-factly, ignoring the echo of pain that rattled around her insides. "Just Vala."

There was a beat of silence, and feeling eyes on her, Vala turned to look at Octavia, who had abandoned her task in favour of staring at the Grounder through narrowed eyes.

Vala blinked at her confusedly.

"That's bullshit," Octavia said with such conviction that Vala nearly found herself agreeing despite not knowing what it meant. "From the moment you saved Bell's life, you've been one of us," she told Vala strongly, the glint in her eyes just daring her to argue. "You've killed Grounders for us, Vala. You're not an outsider, not any more."

Vala didn't agree, and it must have been clear on her face, because Octavia scowled.

"There're some people here who might not see it yet," she conceded reluctantly. "But they're idiots. They'll see the truth soon," she added, significantly softer than before, like she were convincing herself rather than Vala, "they _have_ to."

There was a shout from outside, and Vala glanced over to see a boy stomping towards them, arms full of firewood. Confused, Vala glanced down at the fire, noting that it was already plenty big enough, and unthinkingly stepped in the boy's way.

"No," she said clearly, unsure how to communicate what she needed to.

"Excuse me?" the boy asked, voice like ice.

"No," she repeated, a touch more slowly this time as she meaningfully gestured to the wood in his hands.

"Am I supposed to know what that means?" the boy sneered as someone else wandered into the hut. She vaguely recognised the newcomer as Murphy, and bit down on her tongue to keep from lashing out.

"She's saying it doesn't need any more firewood," Octavia spoke up from behind them, and Vala's attention snapped back to the conversation at hand. "You don't want the fire too big, so maybe just try to knock it down with some wet leaves?" she murmured, sounding carefully detached.

"I get it, you two have some _special connection_ , now that you're sister-in-laws and everything," the boy scoffed. Octavia's shoulders tensed, so Vala figured that whatever it had meant, it hadn't been kind. "Or maybe you learnt it from your boyfriend," he added in a snarl. "Grounder pounder?"

The sneer in his voice coupled with his leer in Octavia's direction was enough to have Vala stepping closer, a growl sitting ready on her tongue, muscles tensed in preparation for a fight.

"She's right," Murphy spoke up, his voice filled with a nonchalance that Vala found forced. "Hot fire's not going to preserve the meat as well," he said in a drawl that made Vala's skin crawl.

"You can't take the heat?" the boy said in another sneer. "Get out of the smokehouse." Vala spied Murphy's hands ball into fists, but he said nothing, glaring into the flames of the growing fire. "You should be kissing our asses for being allowed back in this camp," the delinquent continued brazenly, lip curled like the mere sight of Murphy disgusted him.

Octavia scowled at him, but he just hoisted up his chin like he owned the place.

"Just keep working," he ordered as though he had any authority to do so, then turned and stalked from the smokehouse with falsified dignity.

For a long moment there was nothing but the crackling of the fire to fill the hut. Vala turned back to her task beside Octavia, pointedly ignoring a considering Murphy. "Your brother couldn't get you a better job?" he finally asked, and Octavia cast a glance over to Vala, irritated exasperation in her eyes. "I'd think anything would be better than working in the meat furnace," he added blithely.

"Oh probably," Octavia hummed uncaringly, "but that just means someone else would have to do it."

Murphy hummed like he was thinking this over. "And you, Grounder Girl?" he asked, turning his watery, swollen gaze onto Vala, who was slicing the fat off cuts of meat with sure, deft fingers. "I'd have thought your _beloved_ would've given you a more... _glamorous_ position," he said, voice slimy but not quite antagonistic. He said it with a hint of humour, like they were old friends sharing a joke.

"Beloved?" she repeated to Octavia in confusion.

"He means Bellamy," she told her with a scoff, and Vala considered this strange term she hadn't heard before, wondering why it was applicable to the leader.

"Be here be with Octavia," she told Murphy, keeping her voice carefully emotionless, not wanting him to get any ideas about them being _friends_ or anything. "Like meat. Meat be of ease."

"I bet it is," Murphy said with a smirk, and Octavia whirled around so sharply that Vala reached out to grasp her arm out of instinct, stopping her from hitting Murphy, even though the frog deserved it.

He held up his hands, a look of pinched remorse floating across his swollen features.

"Sorry," he apologised with an air of reluctance. "That was out of line."

"Yeah," Octavia growled. "It was."

Before Vala could interject – mostly to ask what the hell was happening – there was a flash of burning heat as one of the sides of the smokehouse went ablaze. The fire had gotten too big, as she'd known it was going to, and Octavia gave a wild shout as she leapt backwards, and Murphy was thrown out the door, coughing up the mouthful of soot he'd gotten.

"Holy shit!" Octavia shouted, backing up against the wall, eyes wide as she stared at the growing fire. People around the camp began to furiously shout at one another in a panic, desperately attempting to put the fire out.

"No breathe!" Vala shouted at Octavia, who stared back with wide eyes. Their exit was cut off by the flames, and she had not idea what to do. "Run!" she added, grabbing the shocked girl by the arm and wrenching her to the left where the least of the flames resided. Coughing as she inhaled a lungful of smoke, Vala shoved her through the small gap in the fire, and she tumbled out onto the dirt, coughing wildly herself as Vala quickly followed.

As she passed through it, the fire seemed to pulse, growing larger with a vengeance. Pain licked up her side, and she pushed herself faster, tripping on the stones by the door and tumbling to the ground.

Sucking in clean air, Vala fought to bring herself to her feet, feeling lightheaded from the smoke but determined to prove she was okay. Her eyes were burning from the soot, and she blinked them furiously, trying to clear her vision. Bellamy was standing in front of her.

"You okay?" he was shouting over the noise, his hands braced on her shoulders, gripping her tightly.

Vala could only cough loudly, though she attempted to nod her head, trying to reassure him that she was, indeed, alright.

"This is your fault!" a familiar voice was shouting accusingly. Both Vala and Bellamy turned to see frog face rushing towards someone, a look of fury on his pinched features. "There was too much wood!"

"Get the hell away from me!" the leering boy from before in the smokehouse, shouted, then Murphy threw the first punch, the sound of fist connecting with flesh audible even over the loud crackling of the raging fire and the shouts from the delinquents.

The fight was pretty pathetic by Vala's standards, but she couldn't allow them to hurt one another. She unsteadily ducked around Bellamy to throw herself between them, grasping the lapels of Murphy's shirt and thrusting him backwards, away from the pitiful squabble they called a fight.

Murphy struggled for a beat, and she briefly entertained the idea of slapping him to snap him out of it, but then he was righting himself with a snarl, pushing away from the smaller Grounder like she disgusted him.

"Stop!" She realised Bellamy too had intercepted the fight, pushing back that other detestable boy with a furious growl. "Save it for the Grounders!" he shouted at the pair of them, and Vala stepped aside to cough in peace, mouth and throat still thick with smoke.

"Bell, now what the hell are we gonna do?!" Octavia shouted over the noise. "That was _all_ the food!"

Vala hadn't considered this before; all the food they'd collected over the last two days – gone. She felt a spark of anger towards the leering boy, but knew fighting wouldn't solve anything.

Bellamy didn't respond to his sister, instead turning to the camp of shocked delinquents. "Everybody get whatever will hold water!" he called to his people. "We need to get this fire put out _now_!"

The camp scrambled to obey his order, and Vala moved too, stumbling towards where she knew there to be a stack of buckets by Bellamy's tent, only for Clarke to step in her path, a look of stern disapproval on her face, blonde hair seeming to glow in the light of the inferno behind them.

"Not you," she said, grasping the Grounder by the arm and beginning to tug her in the direction of the metal cave. "You inhaled a lot of smoke, not to mention the burn on your arm," the healer said. Vala didn't understand, but then she took note of the white-hot stinging on her left arm and glanced down, seeing that a small patch of her exposed skin was an angry, wilted red.

Looking back up, she noticed Octavia and Murphy being led into the cave too, and conceded with a huff, allowing the healer to sit her down on one of the tables. Octavia settled beside her, face dirty with soot and ash, and she was scowling down at the floor.

"You okay?" she asked a moment later, and Vala looked over at her to see her resolutely staring at Clark, who was across from them, handing a cup of water to Murphy.

"Okay," she confirmed, but watched as the younger girl's eyes flashed to her red burn. "Okay, Octavia," she pressed, nudging her companionably.

"Thanks for getting me out of there," Octavia murmured. "I kinda froze, huh?"

Vala lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "Fire scary," she said simply, but Octavia didn't smile, and the Grounder sighed.

"You okay, Octavia?" Clarke had reappeared, holding out a cup of water, which the youngest Blake took gratefully, gulping it down eagerly. Clarke seemed to take that as an answer, turning to Vala with a small smile. "How's the arm?" she asked, and the Grounder winced. "The adrenaline's wearing off, so it's going to start hurting," she admitted sympathetically, and Vala got the basic gist of it, cringing at the thought of it getting worse.

Clarke stepped away for a moment, reappearing with another cup, holding it out to her gently.

"Drink," she instructed, and Vala didn't need any more encouragement, gulping down the water and feeling like she could have cried as it coated her burning, achy, smoke-thick throat. Once she was done, Clarke refilled the cup and gestured for her to hold out her arm. "It's going to hurt," she warned, but Vala just stared back until she sighed and began to pour the cool water over her burned flesh.

It stung, and Vala bit down on the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood, but otherwise didn't react.

"Your left arm has about the worst luck ever," Clarke continued in a strangely upbeat sort of voice, and Vala got the feeling she was trying to distract her from the pain. "First it gets dislocated, then second degree burns?"

"Are you ever _not_ going to get injured?" Octavia murmured, and Vala's dark gaze slid over to her in contemplation. "Though, if the look of those scars is any indication..." she trailed off thoughtfully. Clarke looked scandalised by the brazen comment, but Vala appreciated it.

"Ground be danger of place," she said seriously, just in case the Sky People hadn't yet figured that out.

"Yeah," Clarke agreed distantly, hands still pouring water over Vala's burn, though her eyes were far away, "so we're starting to learn."

"O?" Bellamy barrelled into the metal cave, the look in his eyes wild.

"I'm fine," Octavia was already saying, pushing herself off the table and pushing away her brother's attempts to help her to her feet.

"Are you sure? Is she okay?" he asked Clarke in somewhat of a panic.

"She's fine," Clarke confirmed, looking like she had barely refrained from rolling her eyes. "The fire?" she asked, more pressing matters at hand.

"Mostly out," he told her. "It won't spread."

Vala expected him to continue to discuss the circumstances around the fire, but instead his eyes slid across the room to focus on her, and she blinked under the sudden scrutiny.

"How is she?" he asked like she wasn't right there, and if she wasn't trying to keep from groaning at the pain in her arm, she might have argued.

"Second-degree burn, but it's small," Clarke told her as the last of the water finally trickled out onto her arm. Once the soothing flow of the water was gone, Vala couldn't help but wince at the feeling of the air on her raw, tender skin. "She'll be fine," she continued reassuringly, noting the unfading concern on his face, already picking up a small makeshift bandage and stepping closer.

Clarke began to wrap her injury while Bellamy reluctantly turned and stalked over to Murphy, who looked particularly uneasy to find the leader striding towards him. They began to speak lowly, Murphy looking spectacularly wary throughout the conversation.

"Maybe you should keep this arm in a sling," Clarke was saying, and Vala returned her attention to the healer working on her arm.

"Sling?" she echoed cluelessly. Clarke made a silent sort of explanation, showing her how they would secure her arm to her body. "No," she said before she was even done with her elaborate pantomime.

"But it won't heal if it doesn't rest-" Clarke attempted to say.

"Need arm, so I be fight," she told her simply, and not even Clarke could argue with that one. "Trikru come. I _fight_ ," she barrelled ahead stubbornly, just incase the healer had anything to counter it with.

"You're right," Clarke conceded, tying up the bandage in a neat little knot. "Just be careful until then, okay?" she murmured. "Rest it as much as you can."

Vala nodded obediently, and Clarke smiled gratefully before turning back to Octavia, double checking her health before she could leave. Vala was content to sit in silence for awhile, but a short time later Bellamy was walking back over, his gun still held in tight, ready hands.

He opened his mouth to say something to Octavia, but the girl stood up and left before he could, and Vala guessed there were still some unresolved issues between them that she couldn't even begin to understand, and wasn't going to try.

Bellamy looked suddenly tired and defeated, but then he ran a hand down his face and turned to Vala. "Can she go?" he asked Clarke tightly.

"Yeah," the healer nodded. "Make sure she takes it easy on the arm," she added dryly, "it hasn't even fully healed from the other day, yet. We don't want it getting any worse."

"Got it," Bellamy nodded once, then gestured for Vala to follow him from the cave. After casting a wary look at Clarke, she did as requested, stepping out into the fading light and heading after Bellamy.

As they headed through the camp somebody called her name, and she turned to look at them, seeing it was Jasper. "Grounder Girl!" he yelled enthusiastically, a wide grin in place.

"Not now, Jasper," Bellamy replied flatly, and the grin on Jasper's face wavered. Vala blinked, confused, but then they were at Bellamy's tent, and he was holding the cloth aside for her to duck through. Complying, she stepped inside, sore arm held gingerly to her side.

They stood in silence for a few long moments, Bellamy frowning at a spot over her head while she stared at his face, trying fruitlessly to understand him. He was complicated, she had found through their interactions; then again, so was she – both creations of conflicting facets, walking contradictions in their own rights. She liked that about them; the knowledge that he understood what it was like to war with who you really were and who the world expected you to be.

She wished, again, to know the words to be able to tell him as much.

"Are you _sure_ you're okay?" he asked, voice gentle but gravelly, thick with concern that she knew he didn't like to show.

"I be fine," she assured him quietly, slowly shifting closer towards him, uninjured hand drifting up towards him like he was her centre of gravity. He moved too, edging closer towards her, and something about the gesture relieved her, as though there'd been some doubt that he'd reciprocate. "Bellamy?" she pressed when the pinched expression didn't leave his face.

"You _and_ O..." he trailed off, then reached up to rub his hands over his face with the heavy sigh of an exhausted man. "It was just a lot to take at once."

Vala knew she needed to reassure him, but wasn't sure exactly what about. "Octavia be fine," she reminded him softly.

"But _you_..." he trailed off again, eyes drifting down to where a stained cloth bandage was wrapped tightly around her burn. The injury was stinging, like fire was still somehow licking at her flesh, but she fought to keep the pain out of her expression, not wanting to worry the Sky Boy any further.

Confused by his insistence in being concerned, Vala frowned, reaching out and grasping his hand in hers. Bellamy looked surprised by the bold move, but said nothing as she brought his hand to her chest. He only grew more perplexed by her actions, particularly when she casually settled his palm over where she knew her heartbeat to lie.

He stared down at where his hand was pressed against her chest, the bottom of his palm just barely grazing the top of her cleavage. Still, she knew he felt the strong pumping of her heart from underneath her skin, and she watched as he inhaled, then exhaled unsteadily. It wasn't a lustful movement, but rather one of intense emotion, like he didn't know how to contain whatever he was feeling.

Pulse beating in her throat, Vala opened her mouth to ask him what he was thinking, only to find him a whole lot closer than he had been a moment ago, his lips a hair's breadth from hers. Confused but not complaining, Vala could only blink as he stared at her with a burning intensity that made her skin prickle. And then he was kissing her.

Like the last few of their embraces, it was unexpected but wholly welcomed. She melted into him like butter in the sun, reaching up with her uninjured arm so her fingers could thread into his glorious hair, holding his head in place as she moved her lips languidly against his.

It was wet and warm and electrifying and relaxing, all at once. The hand that had been resting at her chest moved slowly up her neck, the drag of skin against skin making her shiver, until finally he was cupping her face in his large palm, his other hand releasing it's hold on his gun to curl around her middle, fingers pressed to the visible strip of skin at her hips.

Bellamy tasted like her favourite kind of berries, the ones that grew near the curve of the river up north, and unable to resist, she licked into his mouth, desperate to taste more. Bellamy let out a groan that was positively addictive, fingers gripping at her more tightly, like a slipping man trying desperately to find traction in her skin.

She wanted more, and very suddenly it didn't matter that her throat was still raw from smoke or that her shoulder was screaming in pain from the other day or even that her forearm burned with the heat of a hundred suns, all that mattered was Bellamy, and getting as close to him as humanly possible.

"Bellamy!"

It took her a moment to realise it _hadn't_ been her to call out the name, and she pulled back from Bellamy's embrace with a breathless huff, sucking in the air she'd gone without for the last two minutes. Her eyes were still shut, and she reluctantly fluttered them open to see a panting Bellamy, who looked positively _wrecked_ , lips wet and staring at her with a fire in his eyes that she desperately wanted to take her time slowly putting out.

"I have to go," Bellamy told her regretfully, his voice more of a rasp than anything else. Vala didn't say anything, blinking up at him slowly, fingers of her right hand still entwined through his curly locks. "I'm sorry," he said lowly, reluctantly letting go of her waist, leaving tingling fingerprints behind. "Get some sleep, okay?" he murmured seriously, and she nodded solemnly, head fuzzy from his thorough kiss.

He turned to leave, clearing his throat as he moved, but she didn't want him to go yet, couldn't stand the thought of crawling into bed alone, left without him for the night.

He looked surprised when she grasped his shirt and yanked him back to her, but she swallowed his confused question with another kiss. This time he didn't respond with passion so much as he did with laughter, and the unexpected reaction made her pull back, brow furrowed in a confused and irritated frown.

"Later," he told her with a grin that came easy, hands coming to rest gently on her shoulders, taking care not to press too hard on her injured one. "You need sleep, and I need-"

" _Bellamy_!" an impatient voice called from outside the tent, and their leader broke off with a sigh.

"I need to go take care of these delinquents," he finished tiredly. "Who else is gonna do it, right?" he added ruefully, a weak attempt at humour, and Vala reached up with her uninjured hand to brush her thumb over the ridge of his cheekbone.

" _Kom-ai_?" she asked gently, but he only looked confused. She frowned deeply, struggling desperately to translate it to English. "Come _..._ back...me?"

Bellamy's bemused expression melted into a smile so soft that it took her breath away. "Come back to you?" he murmured, staring back fondly. "Always," he swore, then dove in to steal one more wonderful, however brief, kiss from her lips before slipping from her hold and ducking out of the tent with his smile still fixed into place.

Vala stared after him for a few seconds, before finally allowing herself to exhale shakily, bringing a hand up to her lips, brushing her fingertips over them and noting with pleasure that they were slightly swollen.

She fell asleep sooner that she'd expected to, laid curled around Bellamy's pillow, breathing in his scent and trying desperate to keep her thoughts occupied by him, rather than the army of Grounders waiting for their chance to strike; she knew that when they finally did, there were likely to be little survivors.

LINEBREAK

The new day dawned, and Vala rose with the sun.

Bellamy hadn't come to bed – or perhaps he had, and she'd been too tired to remember – but there were more important things on her mind. She climbed to her feet, pulling her armour on over her underclothes as usual, shoving her feet into the boots and slipping her weapons into place before stepping out into the frosty morning.

A few delinquents called out greetings as she passed, and she lifted her hand in response, heading for Octavia's tent.

"Hey Val," the younger girl greeted her absently, quickly shoving a small notebook under her pillow, as though Vala wouldn't have noticed anyway. It took the Grounder a few beats to realise the strange sound was merely a shortened version of her name, and she felt oddly warm at the knowledge. Nobody had ever nicknamed her before; assuming 'Grounder Girl' didn't count. "What's up?" Octavia asked, legs curled underneath her on her bed.

"We spar," she said simply, gesturing to the staff she'd fashioned for the girl, which was sitting off to the side, leant against the wall of her tent.

"What?" Octavia looked bewildered. "No way, you're still healing from the other day, not to mention last night..."

Vala didn't agree. "We fight," she said as sternly as she could.

"Vala-"

"Grounders come," she interrupted sharply, and Octavia winced at the reminder. "Octavia be ready," she added, more of a reassurance to herself than anything.

The younger girl found it difficult to argue with this logic. Hesitating only a moment, she nodded. "Okay, but we'll go slow. Nothing too strenuous."

Vala didn't know what they meant, but from what she could glean, Octavia was agreeing, so she nodded sharply and led her over to a large, empty space in camp. It was too dangerous to go outside the wall now, so they had to make do with the space inside.

She started off slowly, making sure Octavia could keep up, even despite the painful ache that burned from her left shoulder down to the charred skin at her forearm. It was almost impossible to gain full use of her arm, she could barely manage to do a simple block without wincing in pain, but she'd endured worse before, and there were more important things to be worrying about than a sore shoulder. Octavia needed to be ready to fight, and it was Vala's responsibility to get her there.

"Vala," Octavia stepped away only a few short minutes in, a look of concern on her pretty features. "Your arm's killing you, you can't keep this up," she said sternly, her staff held in a tight, confident grip.

"Be fight," Vala insisted stubbornly, ignoring stabbing pains beginning to grow sharper in her shoulder. Throwing up her staff, she was pleased to see Octavia block it with relative ease, bringing up her own weapon surprisingly quickly.

"Vala," Octavia was growing exasperated. "You can't just power through it; sometimes things need a chance to heal." Irritated, Vala frowned at her deeply, struggling to figure out how to argue. "I can spare an extra day of training if..." she began, only to trail off as a thoughtful spark appeared in her eyes. "Unless it isn't about me fighting."

"Octavia spar, then be fight Trikru," Vala told her with a sharp nod.

Octavia didn't look convinced. She took in the way the Grounder was shifting her weight from foot to foot, antsy, like she expected somebody to leap out from behind a tree and attack her. "I think this is about _you_ ," she spoke slowly and Vala could only frown back at her. "I think you're...scared," she finally said once she'd figured it out. "You're full of anxious energy and think sparring with me will help you get it out."

Vala didn't quite know what to to make of the unknown words, but there was one word she understood perfectly well. "Scared?" she repeated incredulously. "Vala?" she asked, barking out a laugh that felt unexpectedly forced. "No," she insisted, brow furrowed, war paint thinner than usual, washed away by the water she'd splashed on her face.

"Vala, it's okay," Octavia said, stepping closer so her words wouldn't be overheard. "I'm scared too. We _all_ are." Vala considered this, eyes narrowed at the Sky Girl curiously, cogs in her mind spinning.

What _was_ she scared of? She wasn't scared of fighting – she'd been doing that all her life. What was a war between Trikru and Skaikru, to someone already at war with the entire world? She was used to things trying to kill her, another battle for survival was more than expected, it was routine.

She supposed, if she really broke it down, she was scared of losing the Sky People. They'd accepted her as no people ever had, welcomed her into their lives without (much) question, trusted her to fight for them and provide for them. It was more than she'd ever thought she'd get; friends, a _family._

The Skaikru were good people, and if she had to hurt the ones whom had thrown her away like she were nothing, in order to protect the ones whom had saved her, then that was what she was going to do.

"No want Octavia be hurt," she finally said, after a long silence, filled with anxious thought.

Octavia cocked an eyebrow, like she didn't believe this was the truth. "Just me?" she asked knowingly.

"Sky People be good people," she said with conviction.

"Thanks," the girl replied absently, clearly having a destination in mind for this conversation. "But who is it you're _really_ scared for?"

Vala didn't need to respond, they both unwaveringly knew the answer.

"Before, I would have said that I didn't understand this _thing_ between you and Bell," Octavia said quietly, looking to the right and trailing her gaze over the camp. The delinquents were rushing around surely, fortifying the wall and cleaning up after the fire from the night before. "But now that I know Lincoln..." she trailed off, eyes going somewhat vacant at the mention of the other Grounder. She came back to the present with a blink. "What I'm saying is that I get it; this...connection you two have."

Vala wasn't sure how to respond, so she remained silent, staring at the side of Octavia's face, brow scrunched in thought.

"I'm glad," she murmured, almost absent. "He needs you. Especially now."

Vala was still unsure, but Octavia finally turned to look at her, a small smile on her face.

"Protect him," she said, and it wasn't a request.

"Bellamy be safe," Vala promised without hesitation. "But Octavia," she added, stepping closer. " _Oso throu daun ogeda,_ " she said meaningfully. The girl from the sky just blinked uncomprehendingly. "Mean: we fight together," she said, hoping her message was being properly conveyed.

"Yeah," Octavia agreed, a warm, fond look to her eyes that made Vala grin. "We do, don't we?"

"Vala!"

Both women turned at the call of the name, spying Bellamy striding towards them purposefully. Octavia, for all her warm words about her brother, still scowled deeply at his approach, edging away. "I'll see you after?" she murmured to the Grounder, who inclined her head respectfully in agreement. She didn't spare Bellamy another glance, darting away before he could reach them.

The leader took a moment to peer after his sister, a glimmer of regret in his eyes, before turning his attention solely to Vala, his expression wiped bare. "Sleep well?" he asked, voice pleasant and gravelly. Vala nodded, her uninjured arm holding her staff, the wood thrown over her shoulder casually. "How's your arm?" he continued gently, shuffling closer to her as well, as though he orbited her, unable to help himself.

He reached for her burn, the charred skin still wrapped with a makeshift bandage. "Arm be fine," she told him, even though her skin was still stinging from under the dirty cloth. "Bellamy?" she asked, tapping him on the chest.

"I'm alright," he promised her, seeming for some reason amused by her question with a barely-there twitch of his lips. "Look, the fire last night destroyed all the food," he told her, hands going back to curling around his weapon. "We need to go hunting, gather more so we have the strength to actually survive the coming _war_ ," he muttered the word reluctantly, and she hummed in agreement. "We're sending out teams of two or three," he said, casting a quick glance around the camp.

"Okay," she nodded, not knowing what else to say in the pause.

"I'm pairing you with Miller and Monroe," he told her. "They'll have weapons on them for protection, but I want you to be the one to take down the kills. It'll save on ammo." He paused again, casting her a thoughtful look. "You're well enough to hunt, right? Your arm isn't too bad?"

"I be fine," she promised, stubbornly rolling her stiff, aching shoulder and trying not to wince in an effort to prove her point.

Bellamy didn't look totally convinced, but he probably knew he wasn't exactly rolling in alternate options. He nodded, one sharp bob of his head, then turned and called for Miller and Monroe, who wandered over towards them, both gripping their guns tightly. Bellamy shifted closer to her, ducking his head so he could look her in the eyes. "You'll be okay, right?" he murmured unsurely.

She felt the urge to kiss him again, but she didn't feel comfortable doing as much in public, so she merely pushed herself up onto her toes so their foreheads pressed together. She closed her eyes, leaning into him like she were absorbing his very energy, fingers just itching to grasp him and pull him tighter, but she refrained. Bellamy's eyes didn't shut, he stared down into her kohl smudged face, simply basking in the feel of her so close, inhaling her woodsy aroma, the scent calming him more than anything else ever could.

Somehow the moment was more intimate than any kiss they'd so far shared. Miller and Monroe awkwardly looked away, feeling as though they were intruding simply by watching.

After a long, reassuring moment, both Sky Boy and Grounder Girl pulled back, and Bellamy was relieved when he caught sight of her eyes again, a glint of calm happiness in their caramel depths.

He turned to face the others in her hunting party, and they turned their attention back to him dutifully. "Watch out for one another," he instructed, and they gave jerky nods of affirmation. "Got your knives?" he asked Vala, who already had one in hand, the blade a whir of silver as she effortlessly spun it around between her fingers. He nodded, pleased. "Let Vala make any kills, and don't waste bullets."

Both Miller and Monroe nodded again, and Bellamy clapped the former on the shoulder once before turning and heading away without so much as a glance back. Vala turned to the two Sky People. Miller was double-checking he had everything while Monroe was staring back at her with careful suspicion.

"It's fine, Monroe," Miller told her with a hint of exasperation. "She's not going to stab you while your back is turned." The Monroe girl didn't look particularly convinced, but she stopped staring at Vala like she was waiting for her to explode. "Ready to head out?" he asked with a nod in the direction of the gate, where the woods seemed to stretch out endlessly before them.

"Move on," Vala agreed with a bob of her head, turning and flitting towards the tree line. She heard Monroe mutter something to Miller, who silenced her with a sharp word before the trio was plunged into silence, no sound but their quiet footsteps filling the space between them.

Vala kept her eyes focused on the ground, keen gaze flickering carefully over the dirt, looking for any hint of animal tracks, even those from something as small as a rabbit.

The lingering tension remained with them, and Vala swallowed silently, forcefully keeping her thoughts focused on her task, not allowing her mind to drift for even a moment, knowing where it was inevitably lead. A strange sort of feeling was hovering over her middle, like something heavy was pressed unforgivingly against her chest, squeezing down on her heart and making it difficult to breathe. She knew what it was – _fear_ – but admitting that even to herself only made it hurt all the more.

For all of her attempts, her thoughts seemed determined to run into forbidden territory.

The clan was coming, that much was undeniable. They were on their way, perhaps they were even watching them now, hidden in the trees, ready to pounce. Vala knew she could fight, she'd survived years upon years on her own in the forest before, one didn't achieve something like that without being smart and skilled in a fight; but how many could she take on at once? She couldn't protect all 100 of the delinquents, it just wan't possible. There _would_ be casualties.

She may have been banished, but she'd never been directly targeted. Most of the Trikru just...forgot about her, once she was gone. Out of sight, out of mind. She avoided them like the death cloud, and they didn't go out of their way to find her. It was an easy system, one that had gotten her to where she was today. She'd never before considered doing anything that would put the careful balance in jeopardy, and yet, here she was, deliberately placing herself on the opposite side of a war.

She must have been going crazy, it was the only explanation. Though, she supposed, as an image of a smiling Bellamy floated clearly behind her eyes, there certainly _were_ other motivations she had for aligning herself with the Skaikru.

Though her mind wandered, her eyes were still dutifully scanning the earth, and when she finally spied what she was looking for – a good two hours later – she came to an abrupt stop, shooting an arm out so her forearm forced Monroe to pause too, just before she unknowingly trampled over the fresh tracks in the soft dirt.

Monroe flinched back as though she'd been attacked, but Vala didn't spare her reaction any thought, instead crouching down to eye the tracks more closely.

"What is it?" Miller asked in a whisper, stepping around a scowling Monroe and crouching beside the focused Grounder, who brought a small pile of leaves to her nose and sniffed.

" _Arietes,_ " she answered him unthinkingly, but she was only met with silence, and realised with a frown that the word wasn't the same in both languages. " _Arietes_ ," she repeated as though it might make any difference. Miller stared back blankly. Suppressing a grimace, she reached up and placed her hands at her temples, curling her fingers into something resembling antlers and making an animalistic sort of huffing noise.

"A stag?" Miller asked, hope glinting in his dark eyes. "How do you know?" he added in a curious tone, and Vala got the impression he wanted to learn more about the art of tracking, probably so he didn't feel as useless; which she definitely understood.

"Shape," she said slowly. "Low," she continued, indicating to how deep the prints were, "mean fat."

"Where did it go?" Monroe was the one to ask as Vala stood smoothly to her feet, fingers curled around the hilt of her stained dagger. She didn't sound as grumpy as before, and Vala assumed the thought of bringing a such a good prize back to camp for the others was enough to push back her attitude towards even _her._

"Up," Vala told them in a whisper, pressing a finger to her lips just to be sure. "Watch tree," she added, feeling better if she had people watching the canopy for signs of Trikru, while she took care of the stag. Miller instructed Monroe to do as much, while he hurried after the Grounder, whose sole attention was now on the hunt.

The animal was grazing nearby, completely silent as it chewed on the dewy leaves of a lush fern, unaware of the danger lurking behind the thick trunk of an aged tree.

Taking down the animal wasn't easy, it never was, but it was a task she'd completed countless times before, and she went through the motions with a warm familiarity. Miller watched in silence as she threw her dagger at the majestic stag. It hit it's hind leg, and though he assumed she'd missed her mark, he realised rather suddenly that that wasn't the case. The creature couldn't run with the glinting metal of the weapon embedded in it's flesh, and it collapsed. Vala was beside him in one moment, then leaping at the thing the next. It let out an awful crying sound that went ignored, and quick as a fox she yanked the dagger from it's leg, only to grasp at it's head and read it back so it's throat was exposed, then she sliced at the thing's throat. Blood poured from the slit she created like a waterfall, and Miller grimaced but forced himself to watch. A beat later the animal dropped to the forest floor, completely lifeless.

He wasn't sure what to make of the Grounder Girl. One minute she was flittering through the forest like she were dancing to some music only she could hear, the next she was slicing open an animal's throat without hesitation, holding it down with her weight and caring little as it's blood stained her scarred skin.

Hesitant though admittedly hungry, Miller wandered forwards, gripping his gun tightly just to be safe. Vala's hand shot out again, bringing him to a sudden stop, and he watched in bewilderment as she bowed her head and murmured, " _Yu gonplei ste odon_ ," in a sincere, heartfelt voice, then climbed back onto her feet and turned to him with a soft smile.

Unable to help himself, Miller spoke up. "Why do you do that?" he asked, curiosity brimming at his edges.

"Hm?" she hummed pleasantly, casually retrieving her dagger and then absentmindedly wiping the blood off on her pants, like it were something she did often. He supposed it was, living the way she did.

"Why do you give it respect, even after you've killed it?"

She was silent for a long few moments, and he wasn't sure whether she was thinking about her answer or genuinely struggling to understand the question.

"Stag be life," she finally told him, and he watched her through squinted eyes, taking in the sincerity in her sparkling gaze. "All life be good," she finished with a decisive sort of nod.

He wasn't sure _he_ completely understood, but the sureness and compassion in her eyes had him nodding, silently marvelling at the stark contradiction of her being before he snapped out of it and turned back to the carcass with a furrowed brow.

A few short days before, he'd proclaimed they were friends, and he suddenly found himself very glad for that decision. He had trouble imagining what it might be like to have her on the other side of the 'war'.

"Come on," he said to the Grounder mutedly, "let's get it back to camp."

Together they hefted the heavy thing up onto their shoulders, and began to slowly make their way to where Monroe was alternating between watching them and eyeing the canopy suspiciously, gun held readily in a tight grip.

"Stay alert," Miller grunted to the girl, who nodded obediently. "Walk ahead and lead the way," he added, and she stood taller as she turned and followed his orders. Casting a look over his other shoulder at Vala, he noted her furrowed brow and grimace of pain, though she never for a second complained.

The walk back to camp was made in silence. Halfway through there was a light rain that drenched them all, but the cold felt good against the Grounder's still-prickling burn. Her shoulder was absolutely killing her, but she knew it was more important to get the game back to camp than to take rests to stretch out the sore muscle.

Night had fallen before they made it back, and Vala exhaled heavily in relief as they wandered back into the illusion of safety that the walls of camp provided. There were some muted shouts of glee when the other delinquents spotted the stag held in exhausted grips. They began to chatter, coming closer around them and blessedly taking the game from them, eager to get it skinned and cut for dinner.

"Knew she was good for something!" an unfamiliar voice crowed, but she paid no attention, just happy to be without the weight of the deer over her shoulder. Some of the kids were patting her on the back in congratulations, but there was only one person she was interested in seeing, smiling tightly at the delinquents and slipped past them when they were distracted by something Miller was saying.

Bellamy's tent was thankfully away from the bulk of the action, and as she wandered further away from the celebrating kids, she felt the tension begin to fade from her muscles, just the thought of curling up with Bellamy enough to have her feeling relaxed.

She couldn't help yawning as she wandered closer to where she knew Bellamy to be, scrubbing at her eyes tiredly. She paused just outside the makeshift tent when she realised Bellamy wasn't alone, another voice speaking from within, the tone of it upset.

"Listen, this isn't a good idea," Bellamy was saying, tone gentle but holding a note of impatience.

"Why?" the voice asked, and Vala realised it was the newer girl, the one who had dropped from the sky in that box, the one they called Raven. "Don't you want me?"

"Usually I would say yes," he replied, low and growing more and more irritated. The sentence didn't sound finished for some reason, but he said nothing more, leaving something unsaid in the air that Vala couldn't understand.

"I heard you're the guy to come to for this sort of thing," Raven too sounded impatient. Vala was having a difficult time wrapping her head around the conversation. "You've been with half the girls here. So why not me?"

"Look, that was weeks ago – I haven't, not since..." he trailed off, his voice frustrated, and Vala frowned as she wrapped her arms around her body, hugging herself in a sad sort of comfort.

There was a pregnant pause that lasted for a long while, before finally Raven spoke, only now she sounded distinctly horrified. "Oh God," she muttered, and there was grunting sound. "Vala," she said in realisation, and the Grounder bristled at the sound of her name, squinting at the fabric of the tent as though she might suddenly develop the ability to see through it. "It's Vala," Raven sounded upset, and Vala's frown only deepened, "I didn't even _think._ "

"Look, you should go," Bellamy said, the impatience gone from his voice, replaced with a sort of pity. "I'm sure any number of the guys in this camp would be willing to step up to the plate."

"No," Raven said, and there was a rustle of fabric and the clearing of a throat. "No, it's fine. I think...I think it's best if I just..."

There was another pause, then Raven was pushing her way out of the tent. She was scrubbing at her face, and she looked up suddenly, catching Vala's eyes. The Sky Girl looked horrified, as it was likely obvious the Grounder had heard everything, and there was a glint of pained regret to her eyes before she turned around and all but sprinted away from her.

Completely bewildered by what had just happened, Vala stayed where she was for a full minute, further translating the conversation she'd overheard and trying to decide how she felt about the whole thing.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she pushed her way into the tent, the material of the door brushing over her bandaged burn, making her wince. Bellamy was sitting on his bed, barefoot with his head in his hands. He looked up in surprise when she entered, and his face twisted into something indecipherable when he saw it was her.

He didn't say anything, but Vala wanted answers, despite her exhaustion.

"Raven okay?" she asked with a frown, watching him carefully.

He groaned and sighed at the same time, dragging his hands down the length of his face in obvious lethargy. "You heard?" he asked, voice muffled from behind his fingers.

"No understand," she answered him evenly.

"Nothing happened," he said, reappearing and staring up at her with big eyes, like he were making her a solemn oath, though she had no idea why the expression was so intense. "I couldn't do that to you," he added in something of a realisation, then he sighed again like this information confounded him.

Vala remained silent, not knowing what to say. The quiet stretched out, and finally she decided she was too tired to stand any longer, wandered further into the tent and casually kicking off her shoes and tediously peeling off her armour before moving over to the makeshift bed and collapsing onto it beside the Sky Boy, who stared at her like she were the most confusing thing he'd ever encountered.

"What?" she asked self-consciously as she grabbed the blanket they used and pulled it around herself, curling into it's warmth happily.

"You...bemuse me," he admitted, but she didn't know what that word meant, so she could only shrug halfheartedly in response. He watched her for another long moment before giving in and crawling into his usual spot beside her, closest to the door. She shuffled over to make room, lifting the blanket for them to share. He laid his head back against his lumpy pillow, staring up at the ceiling.

Curious and affectionate, Vala turned so she was curled into his side, her chin resting gently on the bone of his sternum through the thin material of his dark shirt, blinking up at him with large, expressive eyes.

"It wasn't just you I stopped for," he finally spoke, stare fixed on the sloping fabric of the ceiling. Vala didn't say anything, content to just stare at his freckled cheeks, eyes sweeping over the dimple of his chin and the sharp curve of his jaw, watching as it flexed when he swallowed. "I mean, it mostly was, but I guess I was also just thinking that...it wasn't _her,_ I wanted."

It wasn't exactly easy to follow the words, but she thought she understood what he was saying, more so with her heart than with her ears, and she smiled, hand moving to press affectionately against his abdomen, the strong muscles tightening under her touch. She was fascinated the movement, trailing her fingertips over his warm skin.

He seemed to shudder at her exploration, it made her curious. And also hungry – but not for food. Creeping up his chest, she came to a stop over where she knew his heart to lay and pressed her hand flat against it. His skin was soft and smooth, hot to the touch, and she could feel his heart racing beneath her palm.

" _Belomi_ ," she said, the word like a prayer.

He gave an impatient sound, his arm wound around her middle, the smooth expanse of skin on his forearm pressing to her bare waist, and she sucked in a breath at the heat he was giving off. With his new grip, he hoisted her up so her mouth was aligned with his, and without hesitation he pressed his mouth to hers.

Vala gasped into the kiss, eyes sliding closed as he coaxed her lips open with his, running his tongue hungrily along the top of her mouth. The feeling was euphoric, his taste intoxicating, and she gave a breathy sort of moan, hand slipping up over his chest and curling around his neck, cupping the hot skin in her dainty hand.

They kissed languidly, completely wrapped up in one another. Vala was content to continue forever, happy and warm in his strong, toned arms, one hand pressed to his satin skin, the other tangled in his beautiful, unruly hair. Unfortunately, Bellamy pulled away, giving a tiny moan of reluctance as he disconnected their mouths.

"Vala," he said, but his voice was deeper than she'd ever heard it before, gravelly and rough with arousal, if the hard length of him digging into her thigh was any indication. He wrenched open his eyes, and was suddenly staring at her, only it wasn't a stare of power or greed, it was one of warm affection. His pupils blown, he eyed her like she were something precious, something more beautiful than he could ever put into words, and his fingers scratched at the exposed skin of her waist, like he was looking for traction.

Nobody she'd been with in the past had ever looked at her in such a way. They'd looked at her with hunger, with a possessive desire for her body, not meeting her eyes but rather trailing over her body, leaving her to watch as they decided what to do with her first.

"Vala," he said again, and her eyes followed the dip of his Adam's apple as he swallowed. "We need to stop," he told her with great reluctance, teeth grit together as he said the words. Confused, Vala cocked her head curiously. "If we don't stop now, I'm not sure I'll be able to later..." he trailed off as though she was meant to know what that meant.

Growing tired of his talking, she ducked down, pressing her lips to his fascinating jawline. It was prickly with stubble, and she trailed further down his neck then opened her mouth, taking a section of the skin at his pulse point between her teeth and gently tugging. From above her, Bellamy exhaled sharply through his nose, grabbing her tighter, locking her against his body.

"Vala," he growled. "Are you _sure-_?"

"Shhh," she hushed him impatiently, growing tired by his protests. He wanted her, she could still feel the evidence on her thigh, and her own core throbbed with need. Sitting up, saddled on his lap, she grabbed at the bottom of her undershirt and yanked it over her head, leaving her bare, and Bellamy's eyes darkened with hazy lust.

She paused, settling on top of him properly, feeling him pulse beneath her. She considered her next words carefully, tediously translating them to English. It was difficult, particularly when there were so many other more fun things she could be doing with her brainpower. "I...want Bellamy," she finally told him, and he was still staring up at her glassily. Making sure he understood, she splayed her hands on his broad, wonderful chest and rocked her hips in a slow circle. "Want. Bellamy."

Something about the situation was bemusing, because again he wasn't looking at her bare breasts, but rather at her _face_. How curious; how could her eyes have possibly been more interesting than her chest?

"Vala," he said again, but this time it wasn't telling her to stop. He said her name with purpose, like the word was dear to his heart, or a prayer of some kind. His lips caressed the sound like they were everything to him, like _she_ was everything to him, and she was helpless to do anything other than smile at him widely.

The dimples in her cheeks appeared, and her eyes glistened happily, and he groaned as he finally pushed himself up so they were sitting upright, then slanted their mouths together with a needy kind of a groan.

Vala giggled into the kiss, rocking against him as his hands gripped more tightly at her bare waist, large and strong hands splayed out across the expanse of scarred skin on her back.

For a brief moment she felt embarrassed. His skin was perfect and smooth, without any jagged, ugly scars marring it. It was a familiar inadequacy, one she'd felt plenty of times before over her time with Bellamy, but it had never before been so pressing and insistent in her head. But then he rocked into her again at the same time as he swiped his tongue expertly across hers, and all self-conscious thoughts fled from her mind, replaced by pulses of undeniable pleasure.

His hands slid from her back down to her ass, gripping it with those large hands she so adored and squeezing, rolling his pelvis into her core, and she gave an unhurried sigh of pleasure, melting into his hold, noting how perfectly they seemed to fit.

Gripping his hair, he continued to rock into her, and eventually pulled his mouth from hers, unable to keep up with the rhythm while he pressed against her. Instead his mouth travelled down to her throat, sucking her skin into his mouth and nibbling gently. Threading her fingers into his delicious hair, she tugged just as he reached her breasts. There would be time for that later, for now she wanted _more._

He gave a mild groan of disappointment as she pulled him from her breasts, but in the next instant he was on his back, blinking up at the weak ceiling of his tent, feeling her mouth pressed to the hard plains of his chest.

He tasted divine, she noted as she quickly suckled her way down his stomach, pausing every now and again to drag her teeth across his hot skin, making him rut into her chest at the sharp sensation. Finally she made it to the strip of hair at his bellybutton, but she didn't pause to indulge, pulling his pants down and freeing his erection.

He was large and hard, and she blithely thought that she was glad he wasn't going to be her first; it had hurt that time – so long ago now – but every time after became easier. Still, he was big, but she was eager to accommodate him, her core throbbing again with need. Although she wanted time to play, she wanted something else more, and settled for giving him a kiss on his glistening head before crawling back up his body as she valiantly tried to shuffle out of her undergarments.

Bellamy chuckled as she struggled, and she look up at him with a pout that only made him grin wider, and quickly he leaned over her to help her peel them down. He sat back, clearly wanting to properly look at her and indulge himself, but she had other plans.

With a push that held an insane amount of strength for somebody of such a small stature, he was again shoved down onto the bed. At the display of control, he seemed to only get harder, helpless to do anything but watch as she climbed on top of him. Vala gripped him with purpose, and he fisted his sheets, thrusting into her hand with a mewl that had her smiling.

He closed his eyes, opening his mouth to say her name, expecting her to use her hand some more, but instead his head was abruptly encased in a tight, wet heat, and he groaned slightly too loud. Vala giggled again, the sound sweet and amused as she slapped a hand over his lips, shushing him gently.

The last thing they needed was one of the delinquents bursting through the door in that moment.

He was large, but she'd been ready, and with a practised ease she settled down onto him, giving a happy, lustful moan at how he so perfectly filled her. It had been awhile since her last time, but being with Bellamy – in every aspect of the word – was like breathing, and she took to it with an instinct, rocking into him with vigour.

"Vala..." Bellamy moaned, gripping her hips and watching her through heavy-lidded eyes as she rolled her hips against him.

He reached down between them without any prompting, pressing his fingers to her clit and rubbing. Sighing her pleasure, she thrusted harder. Unable to stand not having his mouth on her, Bellamy left his hand where it was working but still sat up and messily joined their lips, other arm wrapped securely around her for traction.

She began to climb to her peak, and Bellamy listened in rapture as she started to mutter in her native language. Nonsensical sounds poured from her mouth, and the lilting sound of the foreign tongue on her lips was beautiful. He didn't know what she was saying, but he could hazard a guess, and he liked the thought that he was making her babble nonsense.

He, too, began to talk, telling her in low tones how good she felt, and how wet she was, and how much he needed her – but she was too far gone to have the ability to translate, so to her it sounded like muttered gibberish, and she, too, loved it.

They got faster, their thrusts harder and more urgent, and Bellamy rubbed her harder, desperate to get her there before him. For Vala, thought fled her mind as things went white, and her insides fluttered with an unhinged type of pleasure, one more intense than any she'd felt before.

" _Belomi_ ," she was saying, the one word he _did_ know, and the sound of it, of his name in her beautiful accent on her mouth, coupled with her clenching tunnel, was enough to drive him over the edge, and with a sharp grunt he quickly pulled out, hips stuttering as he came all over his hand.

Collapsing back into his makeshift bed, he blinked unseeingly up at the ceiling, coming down from the crazy high he'd experienced. Vala fell down onto his chest, head pressed to his clavicle, and the smell of her hair floated in his face.

Breathing heavily, they took a long moment to recover, both of their pulses racing, sweat coating their skin.

Vala was the first to recover, not allowing herself to bask for too long – that kind of carelessness was what got you killed – and she propped her head up on her arms, braced over his chest, staring at his face.

"Bellamy," she said again, the name said with reverence and affection like Bellamy had never heard. Squeezing his eyes shut tightly, breath finally going back to normal, he gently pushed her off of him, picking a piece of spare cloth off the ground and cleaning up quickly, before sighing and relaxing back into his place.

Laying beside him on her stomach, Vala smiled up at him dopily. It had been intense, and he immediately wanted to get up and run in the other direction – but she was looking at him with those wide, doe-like eyes, glittering with warmth and affection and he couldn't bring himself to move.

Instead he settled closer to her, held up on his side, hand moving to her exposed back, fingertips gently beginning to trail over her skin.

Instantly the self-consciousness from earlier returned, and she gave a grimace as she tried to subtly shake him off, not wanting her back to be exposed to him, not wanting him to see her so vulnerable. "Don't," Bellamy said quietly, the word pleading, and she froze, unsure. He sat up higher, allowing himself to better view the thick, twisting scars covering her otherwise smooth skin.

There were so many of them; some large and wide, like a deep knife wound; some small and puckered, like bullet holes; some were thin and narrow, and others looked like burns. It was almost like a piece of art, Bellamy thought suddenly, trailing his fingertips tenderly over the marks as he tried very hard not to imagine exactly the kinds of things this wonderful, innocent, sweet woman had endured in the past. He tried hard not to get angry about it, not to get up and go track down everyone who'd ever laid a hand on her, because now she was _his_ and-

That thought stopped him, and his hand froze on her skin. Feeling him go still, Vala looked up at him properly, blinking in concern. "Bellamy okay?" she asked him softly, the tender intimacy in her voice almost too much to handle.

He swallowed, and again she was helpless but to follow the entrancing dig of his Adam's apple. "You're mine," he said abruptly, less of a command and more of a shocked sort of realisation.

Vala didn't understand, merely humming in vague agreement and smiling before moving so her legs were tangled with his, then burrowing her head in his lumpy pillow and drifting into a very light sleep.

Bellamy couldn't follow, he was stuck staring at this completely stunning, puzzle of a Grounder, trying not to panic about the feelings that were growing in his chest, a sort of pressure that came with words he wasn't sure he was ready to be considering. His eyes traced the dozing woman's face, fingers going back to their dance across her artwork of scars, trying to figure out exactly where they went from there.

He didn't get very far. From outside his tent there was a loud yell of his name, and he knew the tiny, fleeting slice of heaven was gone, and he once more had to return to the disappointment that was reality.


End file.
